Second Chance
by liidg
Summary: Hermione and Luna must go back and prevent a change to the time line.  Once they are back new friendships are forged and new paths are taken. This is very AU and OOC. This is rated T and it is a little bit of fluff that popped into my mind.
1. Chapter 1

A/N The world of Harry Potter is not mine. This is merely a writing exercise and not for profit. No copyright infringement intended.

This is a little piece of fluff I wrote. It is pretty short and you will note by the T rating this is not my usual smutty fare. I will still be putting up chapters of Captured and this won't interfere with that story going up. This is just some fun in between chapters.

Nerd Warning: Horrific abuse of the timeline and character ages. The only way to actually put these people in school together is to ignore their true ages. Example: Bellatrix (b. 1951), Arthur (b.1950) and Molly (b.1949) would have been finished their schooling when the Marauders (b.1960 except Sirius 1959) and Snape (1960) show up. Lucius and Narcissa actually fall between them and there are no dates for the Longbottoms and Lestranges as far as I know.

To say I am taking liberties would be an understatement…I am blatantly trouncing all over cannon to put these people in Hogwarts together. Molly and Bella can send me fruit baskets for shaving a decade off their ages.

Cliché warning: Honestly, how can I not do a time turner fic? Who doesn't love a temporal travel story? Top five cliché story lines ever.

Mad love to Asher my king and beloved beta.

Second Chance

Prelude

The building was falling apart as were its inhabitants. The battle was finally over. The remaining Death Eaters surrendered and the injured were either being treated by Madam Pomfrey or being rushed over to St. Mungo's for the healers to treat. The living were now congregated in the Great Hall left to deal with the dead and the wreckage.

Hermione looked around the hall. The Weasleys were huddled together mourning Fred except for Ginny who had wandered off with Harry. The floor was littered with bodies and friends and colleagues took turns saying their last goodbyes to the fallen. Hermione placed her cloak around Kingsley who was kneeling before Nymphadora and Remus. She wondered what would become of Teddy. The poor boy lost both his parents and his grandfather in the war. All he had left was Andromeda.

The Patil twins and Dean were covering Lavender's body with a cloak and Hagrid walked by cradling the body of Colin Creavy. Draco and Gregory were mourning Vincent Crabbe and Hermione could see Narcissa casting glances at her sister's body. She finally stood to go over to her and found several wands in her face.

"You sit back down Naricssa." Molly looked as though she wasn't done with this war yet. "She deserved her fate and you deserve Azkaban. I know Harry said to let you be but you will sit in that corner and you will not move. I lost a son to this war and almost lost my daughter to that bitch. I will be happy to reunite you two."

Arthur pulled on Molly's arm as Minerva guided Narcissa back to the bench. Hermione could see the anger rolling off of her in waves. This was not the life she had planned for herself or her family. Hermione could see something else as well. Narcissa was looking around the room for something. She closed her eyes and seemed to be trying to recollect a fact or memory. When her eyes opened she sat down quietly by Lucius not saying a word. She didn't need to. The look on her face said it all.

Hermione knew that look. It was the look she got when she was plotting. Narcissa Malfoy was planning something. There was something they missed. She didn't know if it was an escape route or a way to take a few more of them out but Hermione needed to figure it out quickly. She knew she couldn't talk to Ron right now. His mother was ready to kill Naricissa as it was and he was overcome with grief for his brother. She needed to find Harry.

Hermione sat next to Neville, Hannah and Luna.

"Can you three do me a favor?"

Neville nodded, "What do you need?"

"Keep an eye on Narcissa. Don't let them tear her apart but don't let her leave either."

"What's going on?" Hannah looked concerned. The sweet girl had her fill of war.

"She is planning something but Hermione doesn't know what. She is going to find Harry and ask for help." Luna dreamily replied, "I will come with you. You shouldn't travel these halls alone. There could still be stray Death Eaters…besides the Malfoys."

Hermione wanted to laugh. Luna was one of the only witches who were any match for her intellectually but she absolutely lived up to her moniker of Looney Lovegood. She was right though.

"Alright come with me. You two say nothing to the others. I don't want to incite a mob." Neville and Hannah agreed and the two witches set out looking for Harry.

Hermione and Luna kept their wands drawn as they searched the school. It was slow going picking through the rubble. They had to turn back and find alternate routes several times due to the destruction to the school.

The first place that Hermione would normally look would be the Room of Requirement but she knew that wasn't an option as they had torched the room and around a thousand years of Hogwarts history only a few hours before. They started by checking Gryffindor tower but found the entrance and most of the tower was destroyed, as was the astronomy tower.

They searched through the dungeons and found the bodies of Pansy Parkinson, Teddy Nott and Adrian Pucey covered in rubble. It looked like they were crushed under the castle when part of it collapsed. Hermione and Luna continued on, leaving the three. There was nothing they could do for them now and they had more important things to do than bury their enemies.

They were climbing over a pile of rubble heading towards the kitchens when Luna finally spoke.

"Something has occurred to her. I could see the wrackspurts fly away. Narcissa is a powerful witch and knows quite a bit about Hogwarts. She was a Prefect and Head Girl. Are you sure we shouldn't stay with her. Neville is very strong now that he has found himself but he is still rather naïve. Maybe we should keep an eye on her and send Neville and Hannah to find Harry.

"You are right…again. Let's go."

They rushed back through the school turning the corridor to see Narcissa's back as she hurried out of the Great Hall.

Hermione whispered to Luna, "Damn…let's catch her."

The two girls sprinted after the witch. The rumbling of building and noise from the hall masked Hermione's trainers and Luna's bare feet enough not to catch her attention as they gained on her. They slowed as they closed in making sure she couldn't hear them approach. She headed to the trophy room and seemed to be looking for something. She finally pulled out a small trophy with a clock's face on it and began to mutter, "Incipio Incantatem tempus misceum juvenca"

Hermione's Latin was rusty but she could put two and two together and she ran towards Narcissa with Luna close behind. Narcissa didn't notice as the trophy began to buzz and glow. Narcissa disappeared leaving the glowing trophy behind.

Luna and Hermione were encased in the glow of the trophy but everything the light didn't touch slowly began to change. When the trophy finished the castle looked different. Clean but dark. Hermione looked around the trophy room and saw that all of Gryffindor's trophies were gone. They were replaced by Slytherin trophies.

"Luna, did what I think happened just happen?"

"If you think Narcissa Malfoy changed the timeline then yes, I think so."

They walked out into the hall and found students running to classes. Many looked at them curiously and several gaped at Luna. All of a sudden they heard a shout from behind them. It was Draco Malfoy. He was wearing a Head Boy badge and was surrounded by his usual cohorts, now back from the dead.

"Lovegood, aren't you supposed to be in Azkaban for sedition? And who is this filthy thing with you?"

"Some things don't change. Luna!"

They both cast stupefies and made a run for it. Hermione cast reductos behind her as the pack chased her up the stairs. Luna and Hermione had to block spells as other students joined in to help. She could hear the students shouting for the staff including several calls to get 'Headmaster Carrow'. She had no intention of exploring Narcissa's brave new world.

"Seventh floor!" Hermione shouted to Luna as they ran. She felt a piercing pain in her arm and stumbled. A spell had cut her. She didn't slow. The Room was intact again and waiting for them and the door shut behind them forming a wall. They could hear explosions outside as the staff and students worked to destroy the barrier.

"Hermione, we only have one choice."

"I know….I had really hoped we would be done. I may just kill her on principal. Priori Incantatem!"

The glow surrounded them again as the trophy hummed. Luna grabbed hold as well and Hermione made one last request to the room as the girls vanished.

The wall exploded inward. Draco and Headmaster Carrow watched as a pile of books, used brooms, and other junk collapsed onto the floor. None of them noticed the trophy the debris covered as it collapsed. The room was searched thoroughly but there was no sign of the blood-traitor Luna Lovegood and her mysterious friend.

The two girls were dropped into the Room of Requirement. Both girls were dirty, bruised and battered from the battle and they knew they would draw attention to themselves in the hall. She needed to know what date it was and how to proceed. She looked to Luna who seemed to pondering the same question.

Hermione was thankful Luna was the one brought back with her. She knew the girl was odd but she was brilliant and her out of the box thinking complemented Hermione's logic. They may have had a rocky start but the two women respected each other and could trust each other which was important for this mission. They needed to save the wizarding world…again.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N As I said earlier, this is a little piece of fluff that got stuck in my head. It is only a few chapters and tame compared to my usual fare. I just had to get that little time turner bunny out of my head. I do hope you enjoy it.

I would like to thank everyone who has faved and followed. Mad love to the reviewers as always. You rock!

All hail Asher Henry, brilliant writer and fantastic beta.

econd Chance

Chapter 1

Hermione wondered if there was a way to apply labor laws to stupid acts of heroism. This was getting old. She looked at her arm and could see that she had a nasty slice. Luna cast a quick healing spell to no avail. Whatever hit her would require dittany or a more complex counter curse to heal the wound. Hermione pulled off her jumper and pressed it to the wound.

"We can't walk out there like this. Narcissa has no idea we followed her yet. When do you think we are?"

"She did say 'misceum juvenca'. I assume we are back in her school years. We need someone we can trust. Maybe Harry's parents?"

They both looked at each other for a second and then started laughing. Hermione was tired and the loss of blood was affecting her. She collapsed against a pile of old books, a sacrilege she would never commit had she been in her right mind. Luna sent her patronus to the Headmaster's office where Albus Dumbledore was sitting down to tea with his Transfiguration and Charms professors. Filius dropped his tea when the rabbit appeared before them.

"Headmaster, we are in need of your help in the Room of Requirements. Please do not alert anyone to our presence. "

The rabbit disappeared leaving the three stunned professors behind.

"Albus, do you recognize that voice?"

"No Minerva and I don't know any students capable of casting a patronus. I think it would be prudent if all three of us find out who this we is."

The three professors entered the room wands drawn and were surprised to see the two young women, one bleeding quite heavily.

"Who are you?" McGonigall demanded.

Hermione became a bit teary eyed as she saw Dumbledore entered the room and muttered 'Headmaster' before she was overcome and collapsed. Luna was left with the explanation.

"Professors, we are…we will be your students. We are trying to protect the timeline."

Filius eyed Hermione's wound and quickly cast the correct healing charm while Albus projected what he needed to the room. The room changed and there were now chairs and couches set up in a circle. They levitated Hermione on to a couch and the Headmaster turned to Luna.

"I think it would be best if you explain yourself Miss?"

"Lovegood, Luna Lovegood."

"As in Xeno?" Filius inquired.

"Yes. Is he here?" She looked heartbroken when Filius nodded. She continued. "This could be very problematic. One of primary wizarding rules for temporal shifts is to not engage yourself or loved ones. I shouldn't even discuss the matter."

Dumbledore stroked his beard, "You are correct. Let me ask a couple of questions and then we will decide how to proceed. Are you the only two here?"

"No."

"Did the timeline change?"

"Significantly. She must have done something radical. I have a feeling I know what it was."

"Ms. Lovegood, under the circumstances the timeline has been changed already. I think we will have to risk the original timeline to correct it. Tell me who your friend is and fill us in on how you got here."

"It is quite a long story sir. "

"Then I will order us up some tea." Seconds later tea appeared along with a vial of blood replenishing potion and a pepper up potion which Minerva administered to Hermione.

"What did I miss?"

"I was about to break a majority of the Temporal Rules of Wizarding and tell them our story."

"There was a time I would tell you that was a horrible idea."

"Really Miss what was your name? What changed your mind." Dumbledore asked.

"Granger, Hermione Granger. I broke most of them my third year with yours and Professor McGonigall's help. Where should we start?"

The two witches proceeded to tell an abbreviated version of their story. After everything she had been through, Hermione was appreciative of being able to talk. She never had a chance to reflect on what happened or mourn her friends. It was cathartic telling her story to these wizard and witches who would become her mentors. They stuck with the basics, the prophecy, Harry, the Horocruxes and the Final Battle. Several hours and multiple tissues later the girls finished their tale.

"I recognize the trophy you are describing. It was awarded to a wizard by the name of Nicolas Flamel. He was quite talented. He…"

"Created the Philosopher's Stone among other things sir."

"How did you know that?" Dumbledore was genuinely surprised.

"Ron and I helped Harry fight Voldemort for it our first year sir."

"You left that out of your tale."

"Sir by my calculations, if I included the even the basics of what it would take to relay our time at Hogwarts it would take at least seventeen and a half hours. I only included the bare minimum necessary to explain why Narcissa is back and what she is doing. She must being hiding somewhere in the school Headmaster."

"Actually she wouldn't be hiding." Albus corrected Hermione. "That trophy was created as an award for Nicolas' work on the time turner. He made it work as one in a way as well but that information was not public knowledge. The incantation she used would have merged her with her body in this time. Narcissa Malfoy is hiding within Narcissa Black. There is no way we can prove it so she is safe from reprisals. The Blacks are a very powerful family and extremely loyal to Tom. If Narcissa provides them this knowledge she will give Tom the keys to the wizarding world."

"Why are we here as ourselves and she is within her younger body?"

"You don't exist yet so there is no other you to merge you with. You came through as you were."

Minerva got up to pace, "what do we do Albus?"

"Narcissa will want to be careful not to reveal herself which might buy us time. You said things did not go well for them with Tom last time. Surely she knows that if he knows of her travel he will lock her up and use her to his advantage. He would never let her freely exist with that information; it would be too dangerous to him. We will have to counteract her moves as she makes them."

"How do we do that?" Minerva asked tentatively, already knowing she wouldn't like the answer

"Minerva, meet your newest transfer students. Hermione will be Helena Blackhall and Luna will be her cousin Diana Blackhall. The Blackhalls will be more than willing to cooperate and many members of the family are required to move around as their business expands. Plus the name will make it clear to Narcissa we know she is back."

"Blackhall is a good name. I hope there are less nargles in the Gryffindor house than in Ravenclaw." Filius flinched a little. He clearly had already been exposed to the off the wall beliefs of the Lovegood clan. Hermione wondered if Xenophilius had postulated the Rotfang Conspiracy yet. That was sure to go over well with the diminutive head of house.

"Interesting names sir, isn't there a chance they eventually recognize the references? Also what happens when we return? We will know most of these students."

"Hermione, people rarely see the obvious unless they are looking for it and then they will choose the easiest and most logical explanation. I assume you are familiar with glamours ladies?"

"Yes sir."

"We are going to alter you appearance but not drastically. They may never connect the two or comment how you look a little like a friend of theirs they once knew. If they do make the connection the names will be helpful. It is expected that the same family that has used the name Helena might use her daughter's name Hermione nor would it be a stretch for Luna to be named after her Aunt Diana. Classical names are common and popular in the wizarding world as is naming after family members and paying tribute to them."

"Brilliant sir! We could be our own family members. So we are going to come in as transfer students? In our seventh year?"

"Yes it should cause quite the stir. Best to keep Narcissa off balance while we sort out if she is planning to share the information with others or eliminate Lily or James herself. As I mentioned earlier, as a Slytherin, keeping the information to herself would be the most prudent thing to do. It provides her the most options and the greatest ability to benefit from the knowledge. Miss Granger is a bit old for a seventh year at eighteen but she won't be the only one and as you are seventeen Miss Lovegood we have the advantage of having no Ministry trace on either of you to address which saves us the explanations. Welcome to Hogwarts….again."

"Sir, I wish I could say thank you but with the exception of Andy I have had my fill of the Black family."

"I would have thought that Sirius would have turned out well." McGonagall mumbled.

"Oh my God!" Hermione put her head in her hands. For some reason it hadn't occurred to her the situation they were in, "I just realized…we are going to be bunking with the bloody Marauders. We are going to be going to school with all of them….most of the Order and Death Eaters will be here. Bloody hell!"

Hermione thought about what she knew of the past. This was going to be a long mission.

The two girls worked their glamours. Luna changed her hair to a reddish brown , added a small scar to her cheek and changed her eyes to brown. Hermione gave herself a pixie cut, added highlights and altered her face to make it slightly more angular. Harry and Ron would probably easily recognize them but the rest of their friends would think they were their relatives. It was a brilliant idea. Glamours couldn't drastically change a person's appearance like polyjuice potion but they could be applied and would hold until removed unlike the nasty potion which had to be taken almost hourly.

There was no doubt Narcissa would recognize them though. She couldn't expose them without exposing herself. It would be interesting to see how she was going to react.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

The professors arranged for uniforms and supplies for them and the two girls took their bunks in Gryffindor tower while the students were in classes. The cleaned up and realized it was time for lunch. Neither had eaten in over 24 hours and the Headmaster did want to shock Narcissa into hiding her secret so they headed down to the Great Hall for lunch. The usual din of the students ceased as soon as the two witches entered. Every student was looking at them. Dumbledore took the podium.

"I would like everyone to welcome two transfer students, both seventh years. The Blackhall cousins were unable to make it in time to attend the Welcoming Feast last week but they have been sorted into Gryffindor. Please give Helena and Diana a warm welcome."

The Gryffindors clapped as the other houses murmured to themselves. Narissa looked as though she was ready to swallow her tongue. Hermione winked at her. Bellatrix caught the wink and glared at her turning to her sister.

From her body language she seemed very intent on finding out why the Gryffindor was showing such familiarity with her younger sister. Obviously Narcissa had not told her yet. That answered one question, Narcissa was afraid of Voldemort finding out. That made everything easier.

The first time Hermione had entered this hall she had been terrified. Overwhelmed by the students and the professors she had taken a spot near Harry and Ron but it wasn't until the troll incident that she was accepted.

She looked around the hall now and it was filled with people she had fought alongside of or against. Hermione looked over at the Slytherin table. How many scars did she have from those wizards. Her chest and shoulder still carried the scar from Dolohov's curse and her arm bared the mudblood engraved by Bellatrix. She had no fear now. She knew she was strong enough to face them down if necessary.

She was surprised how attractive everyone was. Many of them still were in her time but Narcissa and Bellatrix were stunningly beautiful as were the Lestrange brothers. Remus and Sirius were also heart throbs. Sirius' reputation as a lothario made more sense now. This was not the sad and broken man that Azkaban turned out.

That was the difference in them all. They were young and exuberant and hadn't yet experienced the horrors of the world. The only one who looked truly beaten down was Snape. Hermione felt for him. This was the time when he truly crossed over to the darkness.

The two witches confidently took seats at the Gryffindor table nodding their acknowledgements to the other students. They both chose to sit facing the Slytherin table. Hermione wanted Narcissa scared. She knew the witch was brilliant with magic and skilled in a duel but she was willing to take her chances against the icy woman.

Snape, Mulciber and Lucius seemed to be whispering amongst themselves, occasional stopping to glance up at them. Seeing so many of the men and women she fought, Hermione wondered how the Headmaster would feel about her altering the timeline by shrinking down the class size…she had one particular house in mind.

She now understood Narcissa temptation. So many things could be easier with a little manipulation. She also knew that she couldn't alter the timeline anymore than Narcissa could. In the end, the right thing to do was let the course of events take place as they were supposed to. A redheaded couple sat down next to them and introduced themselves.

"Hello. I am Molly Prewett. This is Arthur Weasley. Welcome to Gryffindor."

It was strange seeing the Weasley matriarch at such a young age.

"Thank you. We are happy to be here."

"Where did you study before?"

Dumbledore had drilled their cover story into their heads.

"Salem Institute of Magic. Our family provides apothecary supplies to the Americas. My mum said I was losing my accent and embracing too many Yankee ways and we were both shipped back here. Our Great Uncle recently died and we are expected to take his place here once we finish with N.E.W.T.s."

"Wait….you are those Blackhalls?"

Both girls shrugged their shoulders giving the impression of affirmation without committing to answering. Dumbledore was very close with the Blackhall family and they had no children in Europe that were remotely close to Hermione and Luna's ages. It was the perfect cover. The only person who knew differently was Narcissa Malfoy and she would have to reveal her own deception to contradict it.

Hermione looked up at the witch in question and could tell she was listening to the story. From the look on her face she did not look pleased. Hermione could imagine that the thought of her assuming the identity of a member of a respected pure-blooded family was enough to drive the purity obsessed witch mad. She did the only reasonable thing to do under the circumstances. She winked again. Narcissa dropped her fork and stormed out of the hall. Bellatrix did the same after glaring at Hermione.

"Why did you do that?"

"Do what Molly?"

"Wink at the Black sisters. Do you know them?"

"Narcissa and I have had a run in earlier in the day." That wasn't a lie, it just happened to be in a different time.

"I take it she is not a fan." Arthur laughed, "Be careful Helena. The Black sisters are not ones to be taunted. Bellatrix, the oldest, is Head Girl. A power she loves to abuse when it comes to Gryffindors."

"I will keep that in mind. I need to get the rest of my things unpacked. Would you mind giving Luna a tour? She can show me later. I just want to make sure we are situated."

Luna nodded. She knew what Hermione was doing and took her cue. Hermione exited the hall and headed towards the dungeons. She could hear shouting as she approached the entrance.

"What do you mean you don't know who she is? Why was she winking at you Cissy? You tell me right now!"

"Or what? You will go tell Mum. Stop it. I don't know her. Let it be Bella."

"We will see." Bellatrix stormed off around the corner. Hermione waited a few seconds to give her some distance than walked out of the shadows.

"So you didn't tell her."

"How did you get here?"

"The same way you did."

"That spell shouldn't have worked for you. You don't exist now…either one of you. You really think those glamours will work?"

"You really think they won't? Are you really going to do this? Try and change the future? Why don't you tell your sister the truth? You know all about your fantastic lives with Tom Riddle. You can tell her how she spends her life following around a half-blood lunatic with daddy issues like a puppy dog and he never returns her affections, how he humiliates her and you. How he tried to destroy you and how he sent Draco on a suicide mission. You can tell her how fantastic everything turns out. You felt it during lunch didn't you?"

"Felt what?"

"Like you were dining in a graveyard. Why don't you tell them….tell them to take a look across at the Gryffindor table and see the eyes of their victims and their killers. They all die Narcissa. He kills them all one way or another. Barty Crouch brought him back and was rewarded by a dementor's kiss. That was Voldemort's doing not the Ministry. I remember how you looked in the Manor. You were a prisoner just the same as we were. You were his prisoner."

"Not the same as you. I won't let this happen. It won't be the same…they won't die…she won't die."

"This isn't about Voldemort is it? It's about Bellatrix. You are here to save her. He will use you and her…just like he did the last time."

"We will see. I assume Dumbledore knows."

"Yes and he is not the only one."

"What now? You can't expose me! You can't prove anything and you would expose yourselves."

"Nor can you expose us. I suggest you keep your information to yourself. We will be keeping an eye on you."

"Whatever you say Granger. I will have my eye one you too."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N I would like to thank everyone who fave, followed and reviewed. This story is already fully written and just going through editing. Although I might add a little more to it here and there, I don't think I will be expanding it too much. For those that dig it…thank you!

Mad love to Asher as always. She is my rock, my king and my beta.

Captured Hearts

Chapter 2

That night Hermione found herself in the awkward situation of being grilled by Molly and Lily while simultaneously being hit on by Sirius. Remus was doing his best to impress Luna. It was hard not to roll her eyes at their poorly executed antics. She eventually excused herself and headed up to bed which freed her from the boys but Molly and Lily were undeterred. They wanted girl talk. Hermione wanted a headache potion.

It would figure her companion on this journey would be the only other girl in Hogwarts who detested such things. She couldn't pass it off to Luna in fear that she would start talking about Nargles.

"So Helena…" Lily drawled out, "What do you think about Sirius?"

"He is ok I guess. I am not looking to date; I need to focus on my studies. Our family is counting on us to take over matters in England by this time next year."

"Yes but you need to have fun too! When was the last time you kissed a boy?" Molly asked.

"Recently." Hermione did not add it was her son only the day before.

"So have you…well you know?"

Hermione rubbed her eyes. She wondered if Filch was quicker in his youth. He would have only been caretaker for a few years now and might not know the tricks of the castle. Hermione desperately needed a headache potion and she knew Slughorn never guarded his stores.

"I know what?" She didn't think yes I have….with your daughter-in-law would be the right answer. That little escapade with Fleur needed to stay buried. Fleur had last minute wedding jitters and Hermione had last minute 'we have to save the world while being hunted by Death Eaters' jitters and the night before the wedding had been eventful. They both understood what it had been and they had never spoken of it again, even during Hermione's convalescence at Shell Cottage.

"Done it…with a boy?" Molly prodded.

She was not having this conversation. She would rather be fighting Death Eaters than having this conversation. Luna finally intervened.

"We really need to get to bed maybe we can discuss who you two had relationships with tomorrow at breakfast. I don't believe Helena will have many stories about boys to add."

The girls grumbled and returned to their bunks. Hermione cast a quick silencing spell.

"Thank you. Honestly I don't think I can do a year of this. It was bad enough when it was Lavender and the Patil twins but it's Harry and Ron's moms."

"Nor do I think they would appreciate your proclivities."

"Luna?"

"The roof of the Burrow is not the best place to have a rendezvous or maybe it is. Either way I have a perfect view from my room."

"Oh god!"

"Don't worry Hermione, I have no intention of sharing that with anyone. I found the whole thing fascinating. I think I would prefer a boy though. I don't know. Maybe I will find out."

"Just keep in mind we are supposed to be saving the world and trying to keep the timeline intact."

"Why?"

"What if we make things worse? What if the effect of what we do destroys everything? The temporal rules are there for a reason."

"In Narcissa's world the Carrow's run Hogwarts, I am in Azkaban and you are most likely dead but at least some people are alive. In the true timeline almost everyone in this castle plus most of their children are dead. Why are we protecting a timeline where everyone dies?"

"What if by stopping the war we stop something important. We learn from history. Without Voldemort someone worse might take his place."

"But if that really were the case wouldn't Gellart Grindelwald have taught that lesson. How will fighting a war teach peace?"

"I need to think about it." Hermione realized that her friend had a point. When Voldemort was defeated the first time nothing changed. Why would it change a second time? The purebloods would still hate the mudbloods. Muggles would still be disliked and mistreated. All of her friends had died and for what.

Hermione spent the night tossing and turning as scenarios played out in her mind.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"OK if we are going to do this we can't let the professors know, they will try and stop us." Hermione tossed another rock into the lake.

"Well they only know the basics, you didn't even tell them where the Horcruxes are, so anything we do we can just say we are doing to preserve the timeline."

They had started classes and were adapting to life as Hogwarts students, again. They had been there three days and had learned little more about Narcissa's plans. Hermione and Luna were unfortunately not in the same classes as Narcissa. Dumbledore decided to leave the girls together despite Luna missing most of her sixth year so they were both taking N.E.W.T. classes together.

Narcissa was a fifth year so they would have to go out of their way to monitor her.

Fortunately both Hermione and Luna were so advanced in their magic after the war that classes were simple. They would need the free time to stop Narcissa and hopefully stop Voldemort. McGonagall and Flitwick were not even making them do homework. They were turning in blank parchments. This gave them the ability to focus on the task at hand.

"I didn't tell them where the Horcruxes are but honestly I don't know where they are either. There are only five right now. I know where one definitely is and another one probably is. The other three are going to be difficult."

"Well I know one is the Diadem. I remember you looking for it. Where did Harry find it?"

"It is in the Room of Requirements. We were standing right next to it when we landed. Neither the professors nor Narcissa noticed it. The Gaunt ring is in the Gaunt shack but we need to be careful with that one. That is the one that killed Dumbledore."

"I thought Severus Snape killed Dumbledore." Luna had not been there when Harry had seen Snape's memories. Although Harry had announced Snape was Dumbledore's man he didn't discuss the ring.

"No. Dumbledore was already dying. The stone in the ring is the Resurrection Stone. Now that it is a Horcrux it is cursed and unusable…Dumbledore tried anyways. The curse killed him."

"So the Hallows were found? How many did you find?"

"All of them and two of the three are on campus right now. Dumbledore recognized the stone and tried to bring his sister back."

"The lesson of the story was that you can't control Death. I am surprised he was susceptible."

"We all miss someone."

"True, I would love to see my mother again. What about the other Hallows?"

"Potter has the cloak and Dumbledore has the elder wand."

"Does Narcissa know?"

"She knows about the wand. You remember how hard he chased after it."

"Yes he was adamant with poor Mr. Ollivander. A nice fellow he was."

"Oh Luna, we need to stay away from him. I didn't think about our wands. How are we here with our wands?"

"Like us they aren't created yet so they can exist separately."

"I really hate temporal paradoxes. Time and Wizardry is one of the few books I didn't enjoy."

"A book you hated. We really are in an alternate world."

They had arrived at the Great Hall and changed their conversation to something more benign. Lily and Molly latched into Hermione as soon as she sat down. Sirius and Remus moved their seats to be closer to the two very attractive older girls and James was doing his best to impress Lily. Hermione tried hard not to roll her eyes.

She had no desire to chase romance in this time, she just wanted to fix things and get out.

The more time she spent around the Marauders the more she realized why Snape hated them. They were idiots. She realized that Harry and Ron also would qualify as idiots during their fifth year but still these couldn't possibly be the same men she fought with and learned from. Molly and Arthur were older and didn't spend that much time with the rambunctious group but it seemed exceptions were being made.

Classes went smoothly that day until Defense Against the Dark Arts class. They were N.E.W.T. level and Professor Trimble had decided it was time to gauge his student's skill sets.

"Are we faking this?"

"Do you really want to?"

"Not even a little bit." Hermione had some payback to deliver. "I imagine it will not go well with the Headmaster."

"Sometimes a show of force is the best first impression and most of our time as students has not gone well with the Headmaster." Luna replied dreamily while drawing her wand to face down Antonin Dolohov.

He whispered a few snide comments chuckling with his friends and stepped up to face her. The last time they had faced down the Death Eaters they were in their late thirties or in their forties and had acquired years of combat experience. In their fifth year Dolohov had almost killed Hermione with a spell of his own creation. He had neither that spell nor the experience now.

Luna turned and winked at Hermione while easily blocking his attacks. She then countered with a string of hexes and curses that left the cocky boy battered, bleeding and oddly very blue. Her wand was so skilled and fast the Professor did not stop the fight quickly enough to keep him from needing serious medical attention.

"What the hell are they teaching in Salem? I have never seen any student move like that. I am taking Mr. Dolohov to the infirmary. You will be on your best behavior while I am gone. Ms. Black you are in charge."

Hermione groaned. This could not end well. Professor Trimble levitated Dolohov and escorted him to the Infirmary. The door was barely closed when Bellatrix had her wand pulled and on Luna. Hermione pulled hers.

"I thought we were to be on our best behavior Bella?"

Bellatrix turned to her with a gleam in her eye, "This is my best behavior and don't you dare address me with that level of familiarity half-blood."

"Would you prefer another name? I have a few in mind, although it is really poor form to use them in polite company." Hermione stepped in front of Luna. This one was hers.

"That shouldn't be a problem in this room" Arthur quipped from behind her.

"When your dorm mates scream out in fear at night from their nightmares I am the one that haunts them, are you sure you want to toy with me Helena?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. Yes, in a few years that would be true but right now Bellatrix Black was just an eighteen year old swot playing bully, "Try me."

The first hex was tentative. Bellatrix wanted to see how quick she was. The next was not. The two began to duel and Hermione had to admit that Bella was good, even as a student. Hermione was more than up for the task and began to back the witch up with the strength and speed of her curses.

Bellatrix sent the first unforgivable, trying to surprise Hermione with an imperio. Hermione easily ducked it blocking the cruciatus she knew was coming. She deflected the curse back at Bellatrix who fell to the floor screaming. Hermione kicked her wand away and straddled her.

"And when you have nightmares it will be my name you will be screaming. Now stay out of my way and away from my friend."

Bellatrix showed no fear as she looked up at the woman on top of her, "As long as you are a concern to Cissy not only will I be part of your world…I am your world."

She punched Hermione hard sending the girl back and pinned her down lying on top of her.

"You are bleeding and I caused it" She licked the blood from the cut on Hermione's cheek. "It won't be the last time."

Hermione had been here before and it wasn't the first time Bellatrix made her bleed. She had expected a variety of reactions but she hadn't expected her body to react the way it did and neither did Bellatrix.

Hermione managed to hide her emotions from those watching but Bellatrix had her thigh cradled between Hermione's legs and she could feel her arousal. Bellatrix stood up quickly and stalked off to the other side of the room followed by her clique. Hermione was helped up by Molly and Luna.

"We did warn you. I have never seen anyone fight her so skillfully. You really are a match for her." Molly was surprised.

Hermione didn't reply to the statement. Luna cast a healing charm on her cheek and the two took their desk. Three things were certain, Bellatrix was again the bane of her existence but now also possibly the fodder for some twisted fantasies, Dumbledore was going to be very unhappy and by dinner the school would know not to trifle with the new girls.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"How are we going to destroy it once we find it?" She was searching through the Room of Requirements.

"That's going to be the tricky part. We used the Sword of Gryffindor to destroy some but it was infused with basilisk venom at the time. We used the basilisk fang to destroy most of the others."

"But in this time line the basilisk is very much alive and still locked up."

"Yes. Crabbe lost control of fiendfyre the last time we took out the diadem so it should work which will save us the trouble of dealing with a very pesky snake."

"Well that simplifies things." Luna sighed.

"Yes we just have to keep from setting the castle on fire….again. I am actually pretty good with fire spells so I should be able to do it. The real problem will be finding the other Horcruxes. The diadem is here and the ring is at the Guant shack. Regulus hides the locket in the next few years but he is too young right now."

"So the locket could be anywhere."

"Lucius had the diary and Bellatrix had the cup. It isn't a leap to guess that neither one currently has possession of those items."

"No but wizarding is about bloodlines…"

"The Malfoys and Blacks were both big supporters of Voldemort. Well we can find out if it is with Orion and Walburga from Sirius but we would have to tell him and he is…."

"Unstable, juvenile, and always looking to charge the gates."

"You do have a way with words Luna." Hermione pulled the diadem off a shelf. She concentrated and the room changed to their practice room for the D.A. She placed the small crown in the center.

"An aguamenti won't help. Just stay focused and if worse comes to worse we will run for it."

Hermione closed her eyes and centered herself, she was gifted with fire spells but this was one of the most difficult spells to control. With nothing else to consume the spell would turn on them if she lost control.

The fire came out in the form of an otter and attacked the diadem, completely destroying it. Hermione hung on as the otter fought her and started to change into a snake. Luna stood behind her wrapping her arms around her and letting Hermione draw off her magic. She finally regained control and put out the fire.

Hermione collapsed while Luna destroyed a few ashwinders they had created. They spent the next twenty minutes letting Hermione regain her strength. The room shifted back to its usual state as they walked out the door.

Neither saw the stunners come until they hit them squarely in the chest. Hermione began to come to a few minutes later and could hear Luna talking to someone.

"I don't know what you are talking about. What could we have destroyed?"

"Look at me you little chit. I know what you are up to. Do you think your world will be better than mine? I won't let this happen. You won't stop me."

"Narcissa, why would you want to live in his world? You know what it's like. You did better when he was gone than when he was alive. In the time between the wars Lucius was one of the most powerful wizards in England, when Voldemort came back he was a mess. He kissed the Dark Lord's hem while begging for scraps." Hermione said as she pushed herself up.

"And what do you propose I do?"

"Help us kill him. You were one of the most powerful women in the Wizarding world when he wasn't around and one of the weakest when he was."

"And my sister?"

"If we stop him now she can have a life outside of Azkaban. Even if you are successful you know she will waste her life chasing him hoping for affection that will never come. Even without him we both know the Wizarding world will still favor purebloods and you will still end up being extraordinarily powerful and I will still be a mudblood. Your precious prejudices aren't going away. We both win this way."

"But I will be entirely too dead to enjoy it. Our families and my friends expect that my loyalties will lie with him. I will be branded a blood traitor."

"Not if you place the blame in us. No one will know. Dumbledore has prohibited us from doing anything to change the timeline so we are keeping everything we are doing under wraps. We get to live, you get to live lavishly...and this school full of corpses won't have their children buried next to them" Luna added.

"I want an oath."

"We will do an unbreakable vow...I know you're familiar with them."

"Deal."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N Thank you for the fave, follows and reviews. The little bing from inbox is what keeps me coming back to the keyboard.

Mad love to Asher. She is my beta and support group...and a brilliant author.

Yami - fiendfyre can be a flame or take any animal shape. Voldy turns it into a snake against Dumbledore. I thought it would be fun if I made it their patronuses.

Second Chance

Chapter 3

Narcissa was going to find out where the other Horocruxes were but she wouldn't be able to do so until the Winter holiday. They needed to bide their time and keep up appearances. They were sitting in the Room of Requirements practicing.

"Keep your walls up. Frankly Granger I thought you were supposed to be good at everything. Lovegood already has it down."

"I am trying, you do make it difficult Malfoy."

"Remember to call me Black here child and mind your tongue mudblood. Again."

Narcissa continued to try and breach Hermione's walls. Dumbledore was a master legilimens and if they wanted a chance at changing the timeline they needed to work on their occlumency. Fortunately Narcissa was a brilliant occlumens. She was skilled enough to lie to the Dark Lord successfully. Unfortunately she was as cruel a teacher as Snape.

She kept going after Hermione's memories of the Manor and the battle.

"Your emotions are your weakness."

"I was tortured, I watched almost everyone I love die. How do I overcome that?"

"The same way I did. Center yourself. You are the brightest witch of your age…or so they say. Prove it."

Hermione stopped and looked at Narcissa.

"Who?"

"By Mad Eye during the first war and I experienced far worse than you during the second. The Dark Lord was displeased by your escape. Bella tried to protect me but he made us both pay. She took the brunt of it. If Azkaban didn't destroy her mind, his abuses did."

"I am sorry."

"I don't want your pity mudblood. I am doing this for her, for Draco and for me. Frankly I could care less if you ever get a wand child."

"I stopped being a child years ago. We both know that. We may not like each other but we need to work together for all of our good."

"You are right. Again."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Hermione was exhausted when she left the room. She and Luna had made it half way to Gryffindor Tower when they were stopped by the Marauders.

"Having a good evening?" Sirius inquired.

"Fabulous. What do you want?" Hermione was in no mood for their games.

"I am just curious as to why you are spending so much time with my cousin."

Hermione sighed and looked at Luna. They forgot about the bloody map. Hermione was not about to be bullied about by Sirius and she knew more about them than they did about her. She started scratching a bit. They looked at her confused.

"I think I might have fleas. Wonder where I could have got those."

The four boys' jaws dropped. Luna laughed.

"I think it would be best if we all kept our lives to ourselves."

"How did you know?" Sirius snarled, reaching for his wand. Hermione beat him and had hers at his neck.

"Keep your hands where I can see them, the lot of you. I am a very perceptive person Sirius. I have no desire to jump into your petty blood feuds or play your childish games. You really are the worst of the Gryffindor traits aren't you? You really are bullies."

James ignored her warning going for his. Remus and Peter followed suit.

"Expelliaramus."

Their wands went flying as a very smug looking Bellatrix Black stalked towards them.

"100 points from Gryffindor. You five have detention with Filch. You are going to serve yours with me Helena."

"You can't supervise my detention. Have you lost your mind?"

"Try me. You have something to say cousin?"

"Go fuck yourself Bella." With that Sirius and the others stormed off. Luna stood guard as Hermione squared up to Bellatrix.

"Abuse your Head Girl privileges much?"

"What's the point of having power if you can't use it to have a little fun?"

"And what sort of fun do you have planned for us?"

"I want to know what's going on with my sister and you seem to know. I thought we could talk…girl to girl." Bellatrix had closed in on her when she said that and Hermione was brought back to her time at the Manor. Her reaction was very different this time than during her was seeing Bellatrix Lestrange in her mind not Bellatrix Black.

Her knees began to shake and her breathing increased. Luna saw what was happening and put a hand to calm Hermione down. She could feel the magic radiating off Hermione in waves as the anger coursed through her body. Her wand was sparking in her hand.

Bellatrix was stunned by the reaction. She had bullied and scared her share of students in her time but she had never had one have this strong of a reaction. This was something else. She saw people react like this when being dragged to her father's study.

"Let's go Helena."

Hermione didn't react. She didn't even register her pseudonym. Luna pulled at her again and she finally broke out of her trance. She let the blonde drag her off without sparing a look backwards at Bellatrix.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"Tell me Cissy!"

"Let it be Bella!"

"What are you two fighting about?" Andy had walked in on them fighting up in Bella's Head Girl's suite.

"Stay out of it Andromeda."

"Why should she and why are you acting like that towards her?" Bellatrix pushed Cissy back. "She has been sneaking around with the new girls. Something is going on."

"Oh come one Bella, I know you snuck around with your share of girls here. Why are you getting so mad? And why do you keep avoiding me Cissy?"

"It's none of either of your businesses. For Merlin's sake can't I get a little privacy?"

They both looked at her like she was insane. She had two sisters. The answer was and would always be no.

She sighed, "Maybe I like one of them Bella. What do you think about that? Maybe I am fucking them."

"Are you? Which one? Not Helena?" Bellatrix pushed in firing questions.

"Merlin's beard, you're sweet on her! That's why you are mad Cissy is with her. You want Helena." Andromeda was practically singing the taunt.

"No I'm not! Shut up Andy!"

Narcissa was smirking. Her sister might be a blood traitor but she was right. Bellatrix only married Rod because she was forced to. He never was a match for just or could he have made her happy had he been inclined to. Granger was easily a match to Bella. She had been neck and neck with her in every class, often beating her. The duel was all over school.

The smile left Narcissa's face as she realized that Bellatrix was not only sweet on a mudblood from another time, this was the girl she had tortured. The only thing Hermione Granger would want from Bellatrix would be her life.

"I am not fucking Helena. Just stay away from her Bella. She doesn't like you."

"That's not true. She reacted to me in the duel. She was turned on. Then she spent time with you and now she is terrified of me."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Bellatrix filled her in on the details of their DADA class and what had happened in the hall.

"What exactly did you say to her?"

"That we could spend some time talking girl to girl."

Narcissa sighed. Her sister had no clue what she had done and now she had arranged to be alone in the Forbidden Forrest with the one student in the school that would truly kill her.

"Break the detention."

"No!"

"What?"

"If you won't tell me what's going on, then I am going."

Narcissa weighed her options. She couldn't tell Bellatrix. She would run back to her parents or worse Voldemort. He would kill Narcissa. No he would torture her for her knowledge, give her to his men to rape and then kill her. She shivered. She couldn't tell her.

"Whatever." She pushed Bella away and went to find Granger. She needed to convince the girl to let Bella be.

She headed over to the library. She knew the witch would be there. She was studying temporal magic when she wasn't improving her already extensive knowledge base. Hermione was at a table with Luna, Molly and Arthur. The marauders were at the next table. They seemed to vacillate between glaring at Hermione and sending magical spit balls at Severus.

Narcissa grabbed a book and sat at the next table within Hermione's sightline. It took a few minutes but Hermione finally saw her. Narcissa got up and shelved the book, heading to the back of the stacks. Hermione waited a minute or two and then walked after her. The move was noticed by Sirius who got up to follow.

Luna quietly cast a spell knocking the books on their table over. The commotion brought the fury of Madam Pince upon the boys. Although much younger, she wasn't any more forgiving and the four boys got an earful as she escorted them out of the library banning them for a week.

"What is up with the cloak and dagger routine?"

"Bellatrix. I heard what happened."

"It's nothing I can't handle."

"That's what I am afraid of. She told me about your duel. You were turned on." Hermione blushed at the accusation. Narcissa continued. "And she told me about your detention. I don't want you either fucking or fighting her."

"She is the one coming after us. Find a way to chill her out. I have enough to deal with."

"I heard, what happened with you and Sirius."

"He knows we are meeting and is now snooping around to find out what's going on."

"How?"

"The Marauders' map." Narcissa looked confused. Hermione explained the map.

"What did you say to him?"

"That I was worried about catching fleas."

"Are you insane?"

"What? They are all unregistered. Who are they going to tell?"

"The Dark Lord you silly chit. Remember whose side Pettigrew is on."

"This early?"

"Yes this early. Lucius is acting as a go between. The little worm is tired of being a punch line."

"Fuck!" Hermione banged her head against a bookshelf.

"Exactly. Do try and behave yourself on your detention tonight and stop causing us problems."

"Fine. Deal with your sister though."

"I am not the one with masochistic tendencies. "

"No but you are as screwed as we are if we are found out."

Hermione turned and headed back to her table. The look from Molly indicated that Sirius wasn't the only one that noticed her leaving to talk with Narcissa.

That afternoon Lily and Molly cornered her. Lily started.

"So Helena, what's up with you and Narcissa Black? Sirius says you are sneaking off with her."

"And I saw you go follow her in the library today." Molly added.

Hermione realized this was going to be a problem. If they knew, Dumbledore would know. They needed a cover story, a good one. She checked the time. She had an hour to detention.

"I will explain later. I need to go." She grabbed Luna and took off. They ran across the castle to the dungeons. She got lucky and saw Andy leaving.

"Andromeda. Will you get your sister for me?"

"Which one?"

"Narcissa."

"Are you going to tell me why?"

"Nope."

"Hmpf. This secrecy thing is getting old."

A few minutes later a very annoyed Narcissa came out.

"What are you doing?" She hissed.

"It is too hard to cloak our movements in this castle. Lily and Molly confronted me. Your sisters are bugging you."

"I just had to spend the last half an hour convincing Lucius he is my one and only. The rumors are running rampant thanks to cousin Sirius."

"Have you ever seen my Arthmancy project I did in my sixth year?"

"No why would I?"

Luna cut in, "Brilliant. It would work."

"You would have seen it because Lucius is the one who pulled my file from the magical patent office. I created a formula that combined with the right charms creates self modifying wards. They become adaptable. I know you have seen it."

"The wards at the final battle? It took us all to break them, that was you?"

"Yes. Wards and charms are a skill of mine as is arithmancy."

"What does it have to do with us?"

"You are gifted at charms and very good in arithmancy. Luna…Diana excels at both. I am going to tell Dumbledore you switched sides and that we are creating the wards to prevent an upcoming attack. You will tell the others you are working on them for your own gain. When He reaches out to your parents you will happily agree to give them to Him."

"We will be introducing a new magic to the world decades early."

"And that is bad as opposed to everything else we are doing because?"Luna asked airily.

"Good point." Narcissa conceded.

"We will sell Dumbledore. Wait until I give you the ok to use the story."

"Keep your shields up!"

"We will."

Hermione checked the time. She had forty minutes to detention. She and Luna headed to the Headmaster's office.

"You do realize you will be giving him an advantage as well."

"No. I created a cracking algorithm and charm. I can break it in a matter of seconds….minutes max."

"I always wondered if your blood was different would you still have been in Gryffindor."

"The hat offered me Ravenclaw as well. Who knows?"

The reached the Gargoyle guarding the entrance.

"Chocolate Frogs"

Hermione and Luna were greeted by the Headmaster who used the time to offer them tea and try and sneak into their minds simultaneously. The man was good. Fortunately the witches projected the thoughts they needed him to see.

"Headmaster….we have news. Narcissa has conceded to not going after the Potters. There is a problem though. She has already altered the timeline. She revealed a way to get through Hogwarts vulnerabilities."

"We will need to increase our security. Tell me about the weakness."

Hermione and Luna spent the next ten minutes piling a mountain of lies on the Headmaster's desk. They finished with the algorithm and charms. Hermione let it seem as though only a rough form was tested on Hogwarts and she would need to finish the work.

Narcissa wanted to guarantee that more wouldn't be done and the timeline wouldn't be shifted to their favor and insisted working on the project with them.

"Very well. I will tell Professor Pythagoras you will be working on a special project and to make her library available to you."

"Thank you Headmaster."

The two girls left and Luna walked Hermione towards her detention.

"That was too easy." Hermione sighed.

"Of course, he believes the Dark Lord has full control of Narcissa. He is going to use her to deliver a false formula to him."

Hermione stopped, completely stunned.

"He lets his guard down when he tries to scan without being noticed. I only let Narcissa feel useful in our lessons. I excel at both Occlumency and Legilimency. Mother taught me before her death. I wanted to be the best to honor her memory and never stopped learning."

"How did I ever underestimate you?"

"It is easy to dismiss the unconventional, especially when one favors logic as you do."

Hermione smiled and hugged the witch, "I am happy it's you."

She didn't need to explain. Luna knew she meant that she was happy they came back together.

"Dumbledore once confessed to Harry that power was his weakness. It's why he stays at Hogwarts, it keeps him away from temptation. He will use this to his advantage so we just need to use that to ours."

Hermione saw a very irate Bellatrix Black waiting for her at the entrance of the Forbidden Forrest. It was going to be a long night.

"Fill in Narcissa."

"I will. Enjoy your detention. Remember we are changing everything, as long as you protect our mission, there are no limits to what we can do."

"If I didn't know any better I would think you were encouraging me to pursue Bellatrix Black."

"I am encouraging you to consider it."

With that the blonde walked off.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N I would like to thank everyone who has faved, followed and reviewed. Hugs and kisses to the reviewers. As I said this is a pretty short story. There are three chapters left that I am just going through and doing a final edit on.

All hail my beta and king Asher Henry. She is completely awesome and I adore her. Go read her stories. Pure awesomeness.

Second Chance

Chapter 4

"Taking your sweet time Blackhall?"

"I am here and I have….three minutes to spare."

"Hmpf. Let's go. We are looking for dittany for Professor Slughorn."

"Dittany? The odds of finding it are astronomic…"

"Did I ask your opinion? Lumos."

Bellatrix's wand lit up and Hermione did the same. The two walked into the forest searching the floor for the elusive and rare plant. Hermione was nervous. She knew what was in this forest. Sure there where unicorns but there were also extremely cranky centaurs and some very nasty spiders.

"Afraid Helena?"

"I am just cautious, that's all. Who knows what could be out here."

"Well why don't you tell me what you are doing with my sister and we can go back in."

"If she wants to tell you about our project she can. It's not my place to tell you her business. She isn't telling you? You must be the sister that snitches all the time."

Bellatrix stopped and pushed Hermione.

"You don't know me; don't talk about what you don't know."

"Whatever."

Hermione walked off. She was too angry to stay near the dark witch. She couldn't hex her, she couldn't bed her, she needed to find something to do with her frustration. By the time she came out of her thoughts she realized she was deep in the forest.

She looked around for Bellatrix and realized she wasn't there. She dimmed her wand. She heard something move behind her. She turned and fired a stunner. The spell was easily deflected.

"What the fuck Blackhall? Jumpy much?"

"Why are you sneaking around? Creepy much?"

She pushed past Bellatrix heading back towards the school. Bellatrix grabbed her arm swinging her around and pushing her against a tree.

"Are you fucking my sister?"

"No."

"Is Diana?"

"No. Are all your thoughts lascivious in nature?"

"Sometimes. I will find out what you are up to."

"Of course you will." Hermione taunted.

"Mind your manners. I am your Head Girl."

"You like saying that don't you?"

"I like being it."

Bellatrix was only inches from her now.

"Why did you panic before Helena. I scared you didn't I? Why?"

Hermione stiffened and pushed at Bellatrix who didn't let her go.

"Tell me why you struggle. Tell me what makes you act this way."

"YOU!" Hermione finally broke free and ran back to the castle. She was torn between her attraction to Bellatrix Black and her fear and anger at Bellatrix Lestrange. She needed to think.

She ran through the castle not focused on where she was going. She found herself on the astronomy tower. She thought of all the people lost in these halls and the toll the war would take.

"I can see the wrackspurts. You're confused." Luna took a seat next to Hermione. Narcissa sat down on her other side.

"How did you two find me?"

"Bella has been searching the castle for you. Once she checked Gryffindor she came to me. I took a guess you might be here. This was the beginning of the end wasn't it?"

"We are walking through a living graveyard. Everything we are, everything that happens, it isn't real anymore. My enemies aren't my enemies. My friends…they no longer remember me. "

"And you have a crush on our former captor." Luna sighed.

"Oh Luna! I forgot they held you too. Were you?"

"No. Narcissa was short with me and they kept us in the dungeons but I was never harmed. I never went through what you did. I never had to deal with her like you."

"I did what I had to do. Bella is just an arrogant young woman now. The monster isn't there yet. You see the woman she was. She was beautiful. What the Dark Lord didn't destroy, her husband did. They both tortured her, raped her. Yes she is a bit dark now but it took them to turn her into the monster."

"She hasn't become embroiled and devoted to dark magic yet. She hasn't taken his mark." Luna added.

"But she will. She will kill Molly's brothers, Sirius, Tonks, she will put Alice and Frank Longbottom into St. Mungo's, she will…."

"Not if we stop her. Stop this." Naricssa said.

"You think she will be reformed if we stop this?"

"I think she will be my sister if we stop this. You didn't see her when she came back from Azkaban, you didn't know her before then. The Dark Lord will destroy us all. Severus, Lucius, Bella…Draco."

"How does he gain so much power? How does a half blood with daddy issues end up commanding the pure blooded wizarding world? He is everything you despise. Half muggle, raised in a muggle orphanage and poor."

"That was really true?" Narcissa gaped.

"So that's how. He said it was a lie? Don't you keep birth certificates on file?"

"Yes but who would want to be the one to expose him? Plus he probably stole it." Luna was now laying down looking up at the stars.

"True. I would just think someone would figure it out. Tom Marvolo Riddle...Voldemort. Dumbledore always called him Tom. No one connected it."

Narcissa hissed at the use of his name.

"Oh give it a rest Narcissa, he doesn't put the taboo on it for decades. He loses to an infant and then again to a 17 year old and let's be honest. At the height of his power Snape or your sister could have probably taken him in a duel and Dumbledore did beat him. He had to run from the Ministry. He is a megalomaniac who ruins everything and everyone he touches. The Horocruxes are what give him his power."

There was a gasp from behind them. They ran over wands drawn to see Molly and Bellatrix hiding in the stairs with wands at each other's throats. They had clearly been eavesdropping. A few quick moves with their wands were now resting in Luna and Hermione's free hands.

Hermione sighed, "well we can obliviate them. I am good with memory charms."

Narcissa caught her tone and went along with it. "That was you who obliviated Rowle and Dolohov? The Dark Lord was furious. They apparated out to get someone breaking the taboo and came back what was that they brought to him?"

"Cappuccino and biscotti."

"Yes they were absolutely convinced he had sent them out for that. Nice work."

"Thank you. I had to completely change my parents identities to keep you lot away. I studied the spells in depth. We can make them forget the conversation and have them do our school work if you like."

"The possibilities are endless. Anyway you can convince Bella to give me her room. It has a nicer view of the gardens."

"Absolutely."

At this point both Molly and Bellatrix turned and crossed their arms.

"You two are putting us on." Molly said.

"Only about making you do our homework….the rest of what they said is true." Luna smiled.

"So you are what? From the future?" Molly asked.

"But Cissy you look the same." Bella was as confused.

"The spell I used brought me back to my own body."

"And them?" Bellatrix was only looking at Hermione.

"They will be students here….with my son. We should sit and talk about what's to come. "

"What's to come Cissy? You are betraying us all, are you turning blood traitor?"

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Can I please just obliviate them? At least Lestrange?"

"I marry Rabastan?"

Narcissa shook her head.

"Rod? Are you kidding me?"

"Can we go somewhere a little more discrete? Between the map and Dumbledore I am going to have to obliviate the entire school at this rate." Hermione pleaded.

"She is right. Let's go." Narcissa moved her wand at the two.

"Where are we going?" Molly asked.

"ROR." Hermione announced.

They both looked confused.

"You'll see."

They snuck down to the seventh floor and Hermione willed the room to open. From the look on both Molly and Bellatrix's faces they had never seen the room nor were aware of its existence.

When it opened there were couches and tea and biscuits set up on a small table. They took seats with Bellatrix and Molly on one couch and the three other witches on the other. They didn't want to take a chance of either of them going for their wands.

"Explain!" Bellatrix ordered.

Hermione looked at Luna and Narcissa who both shrugged. They didn't care. They would either obliviate them or get them to help.

Narcissa started telling their tale with each witch filling in the pertinent parts of their stories. They all emphasized exactly how bad Molly and Bellatrix's lives turn out in the future. Narcissa left out Hermione's torture. That was Hermione's tale to tell.

"With a few changes it doesn't seem like a bad life. I am a forced to be feared."

"Bella you were a mess. Rod treats you horribly and the Dark Lord is worse. They break you and use you."

"So I won't marry Rod."

"They force you to." Narcissa responded. Neither Luna nor Hermione wanted to interrupt the spat between sisters.

"Who forces me?"

"The Dark Lord, mum and dad, Rod. Your wedding was…" Narcissa sobbed. Hermione knew nothing about the younger Bellatrix and was curious to how this story was going to end. How did they get the most stubborn witch in history to comply.

"What Cissy?"

"You were taken to the altar at wand point. The Dark Lord ordered proof of consummation at the ceremony. Rod…it was horrible Bella. After that night they took you away and when you came back you were different. They destroyed you."

"He wouldn't do this."

They all knew she wasn't talking about Rod.

"He does Bella. It's all a lie. All he cares about is power."

"What are you saying Cissy, _Toujours pur! _ He is our leader. We are going to rid the world of tainted blood."

"He is a half-blood Bella. It is all bullshit. He ruins us. He takes my home, tortures my family, ruins my son and destroys you. All for power. He doesn't care about us, any of us."

"And these two. Who are they?" Molly looked at the other two suspiciously.

"I am Luna Lovegood."

"Xeno's?"

"Yes." They both looked at her with questioning looks.

"Luna marches to the beat of her own drum but she is one of the most brilliant witches I have ever known." Hermione stated.

"For all what 17 of your years. You know as much as we do. I am older than you."

"I am 18. And I…."

Narcissa cut her off, "They fought a war. Hermione, that is Helena's real name, has been fighting him since she was a first year. I have dueled her Bella, I have seen her duel you…not you now but you then. She is powerful and brilliant. My son hated her because she always beat him in classes. She was the top of her class from the day she walked in. You are not the same. We are not the same. You have yet to see the real world."

"And you have?" Bella sneered

"Every day I walk through this graveyard, I am reminded of all that I have seen." Hermione growled back at her.

"What do you mean graveyard?" Molly asked.

"Exactly that. We followed Narcissa back here after the final battle. Your Dark Lord dies, but in the end, after two wars…so do almost every student in this school. We were stacking the bodies of your children when we came back here. Everyone dies."

"Hermione what? What is your last name." Bellatrix could care less about Lovegood.

"Granger." Hermione stood staring down Bellatrix.

"That's not a wizarding name." Bellatrix stood up.

"No it's not." Hermione said glaring at the witch.

"You want me to follow you, that nutter Xeno's daughter and a mudblood into treason to stop a bunch of things that you say happened."

"Yes. That sums it up Bella. Look at me not her." Narcissa pulled on her and Bellatrix shifted her attention. "Bellatrix. I am doing this for us. We will be powerful, more powerful without him than with him. I am doing this for the Blacks and no one else. We can even find a way to keep you from having to marry Rod."

"He is that bad?"

"Worse."

Hermione rolled her eyes again. The fate of the world hung in the balance and they were going to talk about boys.

"The story we are telling is that we are working on a new form of warding that will adapt and adjust to attacks. We can tell Dumbledore you wanted to help once you heard about the project."

"So we are going to work on something that is impossible."

"It's not impossible…she already did it. I have seen the wards. It took the combined effort of the Dark Lord, the Death Eaters and every other wizard in His disposal to break the wards and even with hundreds of wands it still took us significant time to do it."

"Bullshit." Hermione turned in shock. Molly was surprising Hermione with every minute they spent together. She didn't expect cursing from her.

"No it's not. The formula she used was quite ingenious." Luna interrupted.

"Formula?" Bellatrix was brilliant and she was now intrigued.

"Arithmancy algorithms combined with charms. It allows for variables."

"I want to see this mudblood!"

"In about twenty seconds all you are going to want is to do homework and stay out of my way." Hermione turned to Narcissa letting her know that she would be dealing with her if Narcissa didn't.

"Bella back off."

"What is her issue with me? Why does she react like that? You said we duel. What happened."

"Nothing you need to know about." Hermione was annoyed. She had no idea what she was thinking trying to bring these two in to help. Sure it got everyone off their backs except for those two.

Luna grabbed Hermione and pulled her away to a corner in the room. Narcissa did the same with Bellatrix. The two were whispering. It was clear they were arguing. Molly stood up and announced her decision to everyone in the room.

"If this will save my family then I will help."

Narcissa and Bellatrix stopped. Bellatrix finally nodded her consent.

"You will both take an oath. Are you versed in occlumency?" Luna asked.

The two witches nodded.

"Good. I will deal with Dumbledore. He is always plotting. I will make your help seem like his idea." Hermione added. "Luna, deal with the secret keeper oaths. I need to go get a headache potion."

Hermione pulled on Narcissa and whispered in her ear, "you don't tell her. I can't handle her gloating and you know she will. I will take my revenge if she confronts me. Understood?"

"Just stay out of her way and I will keep her out of yours."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"They did what?"

"They both decided they wanted in on the project. Molly wants the extra credit for Arithmancy and Bellatrix claims to be intrigued by the idea."

"You don't believe her though do you? Lemon drop?"

"No thank you Headmaster. No I think she wants to bring it to the Dark Lord herself. Use it to climb his ranks."

"Interesting. Let them help for now. It will keep the others from interfering. I am surprised you are not objecting to Bellatrix getting the formula." She could feel him searching her mind as he said it.

"I won't let her have a working version Sir. The timeline can't be altered. He cannot be allowed to win."

"Very good. Thank you Miss Granger." He watched the witch leave and helped himself to a lemon drop. He was going to alter the time line a little. He wouldn't kill Tom, those events were destined to still happen, but he would gain a stronger foothold in Hogwarts.

His position in the Ministry and the Wizarding world was a bit tenuous now. Tom's rise to power would strengthen his ability to do good works. Then he could take the boy out.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"So tell me already."

"No!" Narcissa was getting tired of Bellatrix prodding her about the mudblood.

"Half the time she is afraid of me or angry at me, the other half it's clear she wants me. What's her deal?"

"She is a very strange witch obviously."

"You respect her, despite being a mudblood, you respect her."

"I learned her story before the final battle. The Dark Lord had ordered everything be found out about the Golden Trio. That's what they were called. Her and…her two friends. I read the files."

"And?"

"They were on the run for almost a year. They were chased by the Dark Lord, the Ministry and guns for hire and they evaded them. I know she was why they had so much success. She moved up to the second most wanted person on the Ministry lists after…her friend. There were several incidents with polyjuice potion…."

"Hey I managed to make a polyjuice potion!"

"Yes, under the guidance of Horace Slughorn as your N.E.W.T. assignment this year. She made it for the first time as a second year in the girls' lav with Moaning Myrtle hassling her the whole time."

"Seriously?"

"Yes. She is brilliant and dangerous. I want you to stay away from her Bella. I don't know why she is attracted to you but I do know why she is angry at you. Don't push her."

"You really aren't going to tell me, are you?"

"For fuck's sake Bella forget the mudblood!"

"Are you going to tell me why you are acting so weird about Andy?"

"I am going to the library now Bella, do try and behave yourself."

"When did you get so bossy?"

"When the Dark Lord destroyed your mind and turned you into a petulant child."

Bellatrix watched her retreating back. She had gone through the school year books and found the Dark Lord. He was younger but it was him. Tom Marvolo Riddle. The man her parents adored and worshipped, the man they all gave their galleons to, was a filthy half-blood hustler.

She would help them destroy him…and then she would take his place. She could use Cissy's knowledge to make herself everything she ever dreamed of.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"You know Bellatrix is going to try something, right?" Molly whispered. They were sitting in Hermione's bed. The other girls were asleep. Molly didn't need to whisper but she didn't know that. Hermione had cast a muffalato, but she couldn't reveal it since Snape was just in the process of inventing it.

She thought about what to do with their future professor. Word spread quickly the girls were working on an advanced arithmancy and charms project and students were volunteering right and left. They had turned everyone away.

When Snape had asked, Hermione turned him down, but Luna asked for his help with another project involving potions. Snape took it as a compliment to his potions skills that a witch from one of the biggest apothecary lines wanted him to collaborate with her. Being the consummate Slytherin he would never turn such an opportunity down.

Hermione knew that wasn't the case. Luna had a crush on him. She wasn't surprised. She had crushed on him a bit throughout the years too. There was something about him that made all the school girls go a little soft. After her rather unexpected reaction to Bellatrix, Hermione wasn't in a position to be lecturing Luna.

Luna and the young Severus Snape actually were a very complimentary match. She was good for him. Her whimsical nature countered his overbearing logically mind. Whatever was going to happen, it was certainly going to be interesting.

"Helena, did you hear me?"

"Yeah. Of course she is going to try something. We just need to stop her when it happens….whatever it takes."

And Hermione knew that she would do whatever it took to win this new battle including taking on Bellatrix Black if necessary.

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Dig it? Push the little button and let me know. Reviews are my Scooby Snacks.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N We are moving towards the end here. Thank you for everyone who has given me feedback. It is what keeps me typing. Mad love to my King and the best beta eva…Asher Henry.

Second Chance

Chapter 5

As the weeks progressed Luna and Severus became closer and she was spending whatever free time she could get in his company. This seemed to bring about the wrath of the Mauraders who were unhappy to see that their favorite target had new friends. Walden and Macnair were also starting to get annoyed that they saw less of their friend. They leaned heavily on his intelligence in class and out.

They girls met regularly and they spent their time trying to sort out how to get the Horocruxes...most of their time. At least fifteen to twenty minutes of each meeting involved Hermione and Bellatrix arguing which usually ended with Bellatrix disparaging Hermione's blood.

"Is that all you got? I am right and you are wrong and your answer is mudblood. Ok we get it, my parents aren't cousins fucking each other" everyone shifted uncomfortably at the last comment. Hermione forgot Arthur and Molly were also related.

Hermione offered a conciliatory smile to Molly and continued.

"It doesn't matter. Our parents don't matter. We are defined by our own actions and nothing else. I know you are terrified that you will end up a scorch mark on your precious family tree but…"

"How do you know about that?"

"She has seen Aunt Wally's Bella. She lived there for a while."

"Hmpf. Whatever. Know-it-all!"

"In this case more than you...hindsight being 20/20 and all."

"I have no idea what that means."

"Never mind can we just figure out how you are going to find the other items."

"I know Lucius inherited the diary from his father. That means Abraxas has it hidden in the Manor right now. Fortunately the Malfoys are big on tradition."

"Oh please tell me they pass down _everything_!"

"Yes. _Everything!_" Narcissa gleefully answered.

"What is wrong with that? It is family tradition. The secrets stay within the family."

"Exactly and as the Lady of the Manor they were passed to Narcissa which means she has every password and knows every ward in there."

"I will be visiting Lucius and staying at Manor so we can arrange the terms for our engagement."

Hermione raised an eyebrow to that.

"Oh for Merlin's sake Granger, I will be with my parents and sleeping in a different wing. Nothing as unseemly as you are suggesting. I can't believe the girl who gallivanted across the country side with that Weasley boy would be so quick to judge."

Narcissa caught her mistake too late. Hermione saw Molly's face.

"We were just friends. Ron and I...well we never went past that." She left out the kiss.

"I have a son?"

Narcissa laughed.

"You will have children Molly. At least in my timeline you do."

"How heartwarming. May I continue? The vault is below the dungeon." she looked apologetically at Luna, "I can go down and try and find the book."

"Once you do hide it and keep it away from you as much as you can. It will feed off your soul and darken you to the point of madness. It also leaks poison into your body when you touch it. Too much contact will kill you." Sure Hermione was exaggerating a bit but she didn't need to deal with a darker Narcissa, "Fiendfyre will destroy it."

"You expect her to control Fiendfyre?" Bellatrix was pissed. The spell was easy to cast but almost impossible to control. Only the most powerful witches and wizards could do so.

"Yes. It's how I destroyed the diadem. We have our abilities from our time...even Narcissa."

Bellatrix looked at her sister impressed.

"Very well and what am I doing?"

"Going to visit your dear cousins. You are still in good terms with Regulus and your aunt and uncle. Pay them a visit. They will keep the locket close. Once you find it, owl me. I will come to you and destroy it."

"I will go with her." Narcissa added.

"Don't trust me Cissy?"

"Not with this."

"And you two?"

"I told Dumbledore we needed a break from the castle. I will be looking for the ring with Luna. If we find and destroy these things..."

"All we have left is killing one of the most powerful wizards in the world" Molly sighed.

"Yeah, I have a plan for that too."

"Really what's that muddy?"

"Oh give it a rest Bella."

Hermione stormed out. She was tired of the constant attacks. The witch seemed to live to anger her. Once she found out she was muggle-born she took personal offense to it.

Once this was over she swore that whatever life she lived would be as far from Bellatrix Lestrange as possible.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

She and Luna were strolling in between classes when she saw it begin to unfold. Luna didn't know the story but Hermione did from Harry. He had been so angry after he saw it. James had already levitated Severus when they ran over.

This was the moment that defined the wizard's life. This was the moment he lost Lily as a friend. She hesitated for a second and but Luna didn't. She hit James with a levicorpus. Snape dropped to the ground and James took his place.

"Oh hey, you are right, that does look like fun Potter." Hermione smirked. Remus, Peter and Sirius all pulled their wands on Luna. Hermione stood between then guarding the girl and Severus pushed himself up and joined her. Molly pointed hers at them and Arthur followed his girlfriend's lead.

Lily had run up to them.

"What are you doing?" she screamed at Luna.

"They were attacking Severus, we were just evening up the odds." Luna smiled dreamily.

"Put him down."

"We will once we have talked." Hermione answered walking over to where James was floating. She picked his wand up from where it fell.

Hermione looked up at the boy, "You know James, if you fancy her buy her flowers. The four of you blindsiding Severus doesn't seem to be the way to win her heart. She doesn't seem the type to enjoy bullies."

"Why? He isn't her friend... I heard them fighting the other day!" James yelled.

"Because he is hanging out with Walden and Macnair. Also prats and and bullies. Grow up. All of you" Lily retorted and then she walked back to the castle. Hermione saw the hurt pass through Snape's face. She hadn't checked on him. She was more concerned about James.

"Are you alright?" Luna asked Severus, not wavering in her spell while she diverted her attention. He was clearly embarrassed.

"I can take care of myself" he snarled.

"I am sure you can but four on one hardly seems sporting."

He hesitated unsure what to do. Narcissa and Bellatrix had shown up and were now laughing at Potter. Narcissa had been close with Severus and she was one of the few that truly understood what Luna had changed.

"Next time you lot want a fight let us know and we will make sure the numbers are even. Come on Severus. We are heading to the library. You can help Diana with her potion."

Narcissa turned and walked off. Luna dropped James who fell rather awkwardly to the ground. Severus saw Lily watching them from the castle, wincing when James hit the ground. He realized in the end she would always choose James. He felt his heart break but as a Slytherin he wouldn't let her know. He put out his arm for Luna who happily took it and they walked back to the castle together.

When they passed Lily he nodded simply and continued to the library. If she wanted that prat Potter then he would show her. The Blackhall witch seemed to like him and she wasn't exactly hard on the eyes.

Narcissa and Hermione shared a look. The change had begun.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

During the next few weeks the relationship between Luna and Severus had blossomed while the relationship between Bellatrix and Hermione continued to deteriorate. Their battle of wills was starting to manifest itself physically.

Professor Trimble was not a man who learned from his mistakes. He decided to have the class duel again to gauge their skills. When Hermione stepped up to take her turn, Bellatrix pushed Rabastan aside.

"Are we going to do this again?"Hermione sighed.

"Last time you were lucky." Bellatrix fired a jinx at her which Hermione easily knocked aside. The jinx hit Rod and the boy sprouted antlers much to the amusement of the class. The two witches barely noticed.

"Serpensortia!" A cobra launched from Bellatrix's wand.

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Cliché much?" she had a spell she had created that she never had a chance to use and she couldn't resist showing off.

"Expecto patronum." The shield came out of her wand lighting up the room and soon turned into an otter. The students were both impressed and confused. The ability to conjure a patronus was impressive but it wasn't the counter spell to the snake nearing Hermione

"A bit confused Helena? That wasn't a dementor I sent your way."

"Watch and learn Black. Mutare Herpestidae" The patronus turned into a mongoose. It was the first time she had tried it in a practical environment. She had learned twenty to thirty different animals but due to the love affair Slytherins had with snakes and their general dislike of her she made sure the mongoose was the first one she learned.

The cobra saw the mongoose and hissed trying to strike at it. The shield knocked the cobra back and Hermione increased the size of the animal which took a swipe at the cobra rolling it on its back. The snake righted itself and ran back towards Bellatrix.

Hermione cast the wordless stunner out as everyone was fixated with on the snake now making a beeline for the Slytherins. The force knocked Bellatrix into air. Bellatrix managed to shoot out a slicing hex while flying backwards tore into Hermione's side and arm. Hermione collapsed. Bellatrix didn't have time to bask in the glory. The force with which she hit the wall knocked her out.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"They are awake!"

Hermione groaned and opened her eyes to see Narcissa, Luna and Molly staring at her. She looked over and saw an equally groggy Bellatrix trying to sit up.

"What happened?" Hermione moaned.

"You two idiots drew the attention of the entire school with your duel!" Narcissa was clearly unhappy. Bellatrix realized there would be a lecture coming.

"I won!" Both witches said at the same time.

"You both had to be carried here so technically you both lost." Luna said.

"Hermione, what you did with your patronus…that was amazing." Molly gushed, "Can you teach us that?"

"It was alright…for a mudblood."

"Bella, enough…it was alright for Merlin!" Narcissa rolled her eyes and smacked her sister on the thigh.

"Ow! Fine it was good. Are you happy?" Bellatrix crossed her arms and looked up at her sister.

"Not even close. You two need to stay out of trouble. The entire school is talking about your duel. You are not supposed to be drawing that much attention to yourselves."

"She is right. It is all over Gryffindor that you two tried to kill each other in DADA class. Tension has seriously risen between the houses." Molly said. She looked over her shoulder when she turned around she put her finger to her lips.

Hermione looked around and saw Dumbledore, Trimble, Slughorn and McGonigall approaching.

"Ladies!" The Headmaster sternly got their attention. "I have heard that you went outside the scope of your assignment in class today."

"It was an extraordinary duel Headmaster." Trimble added.

"So you have said. Horace and Minerva have decided that since you two are so skilled you would make the perfect tutors." Dumbldore smiled. Hermione didn't like where this was going.

"We have three weeks until winter break. You will spend them taking Professor Trimble's office hours tutoring any students that need help. Since you are both outstanding students in Potions and Transfiguration as well ….how did you describe them Minerva?"

"Brilliant but extremely competitive."

"Right, since you are so eager to learn and practice, they will be sending you their students who need tutoring as well."

Both women sighed. Tutoring usually meant first and second years. It was a calamity waiting to happen. Molly had her head buried into Narcissa's shoulder and it was clear both girls were biting back laughter. As soon as the Headmaster left all three girls broke into hysterical laughter.

"You two were actually safer dueling each other." Narcissa giggled. Bellatrix looked as though she had swallowed a lemon and Hermione was silently praying for lightning to strike her. They were interrupted by Arthur, Lily, Andromeda and Severus. Once Andy learned Bellatrix's fate she joined in on the ribbing and they all got a good laugh at the two girls' expense.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

The next few weeks tested both Bellatrix and Hermione's abilities to stay calm. Hermione had forgotten how bad some of the students' skills were. She felt like her days were filled with Seamus Finnegans and Neville Longbottoms as she prevented potions from exploding and corrected horrific spell skills.

They were forced to work the same hours and when they weren't dodging flying wands they were trying to outdo each other or fighting with each other. The last evening before break the two had been covered in flubberworm parts due to a poorly timed potions mishap by a third year Hufflepuff.

Hermione went to the prefects bathroom and was in the process of cleaning herself up when Narcissa came in. She stripped down and settled into the large pool with Hermione. She flinched a little when she saw her scars.

"They don't go away. They will never go away."

"The arm was my sister. The chest…that was from Dolohov wasn't it? No one else has survived his curse."

"I hit him with a silencing spell right before he cast it."

"Clever as always."

"So when this is over and you return…"

"I will be who I am and you will be…"

"A mudblood."

"That is the world we live in."

"It doesn't have to be. I see you when you are around Andy. You love her. Didn't you miss your sister? Do you really want to go back to not having her in your life again?"

"She made the choice."

"No she fell in love."

Hermione grabbed her things, quickly dressed and left. She would never understand Narcissa Malfoy or her world.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Winter break came and they all headed to their respective residences for the holiday. Dumbledore had arranged for Hermione and Luna to stay at the Cauldron and gave them some spending money. The first few days passed quietly while the two women enjoyed the freedom. Luna was regularly exchanging owls with Snape and Hermione was keeping tabs on the Black sisters.

They had raided Slughorn's stores before they left knowing the dotty Potion's Master wouldn't notice. Hermione had grabbed ample healing potions and supplies for a few more items she wanted to brew. She was going to make a few surprises for down the line.

Hermione finished up her projects and they waited until after Christmas to go to find the ring. They were worried the Dark Lord might get nostalgic on the holiday. Hermione looked at her finished items.

"You think it will work Luna?"

"Yes but are you sure you want to do it?"

"It's the only way."

She hid her new creations in her luggage; they wouldn't need them if they didn't get the Horocruxes. The two headed off to the Gaunt home on Boxing Day. Bellatrix and Narcissa said the Dark Lord was having a soirée for his followers so they would be in the clear.

When they arrived at the shack Hermione grimaced.

"Nice place. Blood isn't everything."

The hovel was buried within the trees and covered in moss. It looked like a good sneeze would tear the house apart.

They set out searching the grounds for the ring which was slow going. There were dozens of wards and protective spells. Eight hours later they had located it underneath some floor boards and fifty minutes after that they exposed it enough to destroy it.

Hermione thought it was interesting that the Horocruxes weren't going after them like the first time. She wondered if it was based on Voldemort's strength and connection to them. He was still corporeal so they hadn't been forced to tether him to this plane yet.

"I think your right."

"It is creepy when you do that."

"Yes but better me than Dumbledore, you let your walls down when you are too deep in thought."

"I know...I will work on it."

"I do think you are right. That also means he won't feel himself weaken. He won't know what we are doing."

"Too bad the rest of this lies upon the shoulders of the Black sisters."

The two apparated back to the Cauldron.

The next day they received a visit from Narcissa.

"I found it in their bloody library. I love Lucius but sometimes the finer points of logic elude the Malfoy line. Bella and I will be paying Aunt Wally a visit tomorrow."

Hermione looked at the book that had almost taken Ginny's life. It seemed so innocuous.

"We will deal with it. We got the ring. All that is left is the locket."

"And the Dark Lord" Narcissa added.

"Yeah and that."

Hermione was exhausted still from the ring so Luna conjured the Fiendfyre and Hermione acted as her anchor. Watching the rabbit attack the book was delightful. Hermione loved that their Fiendfyre forms matched their patronuses.

They staggered home and collapsed. Hermione had just fallen asleep when an owl tapped on her window.

_We found it but Bella is refusing to let it go. - N_

Hermione sighed. She barely had the energy to keep her eyes open forget take on Bellatrix. She wrote back.

_I need access to her. When? - H_

Hermione closed her eyes for a bit. The next owl came in the morning. Two tickets were attached for the Black New Year's ball. Being Blackhalls guaranteed them entry once Narcissa requested it.

It looked like Cinderella was going to the ball.

…...

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	7. Chapter 7

A/N One more chapter after this. Yes I borrowed an element from one of my other stories for this but it worked so I am rolling with it.

Hugs and kisses to my king and beta Asher Henry. You should definitely check her stories out. She is amazing.

I would like to thank everyone who has followed and faved and especially thank those who have reviewed. Thank you thank you! Safe Keeping was the first fiction story I ever wrote and when I started it I assumed it would be my last. The positive feedback from you guys is what keeps me coming back for more. I cannot thank you enough.

Second Chance

Chapter 6

Luna was brilliant with clothing charms and created two dresses for them. Luna's was short and strapless and she looked absolutely beautiful. Hermione had her make hers floor length and long sleeved. She had successfully hidden her scars from everyone in this time and planned to continue to do so.

Hermione checked in with Dumbledore. The invitation sold her story to him more. If Bellatrix knew who she was she would never be allowed to set foot in Black castle. A mudblood in the bastion of purity would be stain the family line. He bought the ruse, still planning to use the formula to weaken Tom's position.

They spent the rest of the week resting up. Hermione knew if Bellatrix was wearing the necklace she wouldn't want to part with it. She would have to get Bellatrix alone and then find a way to take it.

They reached the ball and found themselves with a new problem. It was a masked ball. She wouldn't be able to find Bellatrix as easily. They were greeted by Narcissa at the door who pulled them into the cloak room.

"She wouldn't let me see what she was wearing and she came up with the masked idea after she found out you were coming. I couldn't stop her. My parents thought it was brilliant. Put these on, they are marked here so I will recognize you and you will recognize me." She pointed to the little insignia painted in the corner the mask. It was a lion and a snake side by side.

Hermione looked at the decorative masks. The witch was clever, she would give her that. They donned their masks and entered the ball. Hermione was mesmerized by the vision before her. The masked wizards and witches waltzing across the floor reminded Hermione the period dramas she used to watch with her mum.

They each grabbed a glass of champagne and walked through the throngs of people. Luna saw a masked man with long black hair. His mask ill fit his rather large nose. His dark eyes pierced through his mask. There was no question as to who he was. She gave Luna a push and the girl approached him. She whispered in his ear and he was soon leading her to the floor.

Hermione kept searching the room. She saw Narcissa dancing with a blond haired man. It had to be Lucius. A hand pulled at hers she looked up. From the height and hair it was either a Lestrange or Dolohov. She tried not to show her disgust and let the man lead her to the floor.

Her very proper mother had made sure that Hermione regularly attended dance lessons as a child. The same couldn't be said for her partner. He was mashing her feet with every other step. When Hermione had reached the point of wanting to kill the man another cut into their dance. The shorter man was far more skilled his predecessor.

His long hair tied into a pony tail and his black trousers and long jacket struck an imposing figure even if he was smaller in stature. She sunk into his arms. The two melded perfectly together and she allowed herself to enjoy the party. She wondered who he was. Maybe a Ravenclaw or someone who graduated. She decided to enjoy herself and find Bellatrix later.

Her suitor guided her towards the corner of the dance floor, hidden from most of the party goers as the orchestra switch gears and played a slow song. Hermione leaned her head on his shoulder and let him pull her close. She let herself spend a few minutes enjoying dancing with her mysterious Prince Charming. That was until she felt it.

It was a feeling she would never forget. The darkness had stayed with her even after she removed it,even after they destroyed it.. She ran her hand up her suitor's chest and yanked the locket off. She ran out the door jumping off the balcony kicking off her heels as she flew down three stories. She used arresto momentum to slow her fall.

She landed gracefully and began to run. She made it to the front gates and was seconds away from the apparition point when she felt the stunner connect with her back. She rolled and pulled her wand. They were far enough from the party that no one could see the fight.

The two witches squared off exchanging hexes and curses.

"You wanted to taunt me first."

"No, I just wanted you."

"And the necklace?"

"It feels so good."

"It will destroy you."

"Give it to me."

"I can't do that." she threw the necklace. The fiery otter destroyed the object, obliterating the famous locket. Hermione barely managed to pull the otter in when Bellatrix screamed at her.

"Nooooo! You mudblood bitch."

Bellatrix attacked with a fury and Hermione reacted. This was the witch that Hermione knew...this was the witch from the Manor. She lashed out in anger. Bellatrix had never experienced the full force of Hermione's anger or her magic and she was soon taken over by her. Bellatrix was on the ground and Hermione straddled her.

"I owe you this!"

She punched her several times breaking at least one finger on the hard mask. Bellatrix was bleeding from her temple. Hermione was ready to cast the cruciatus when she caught herself. She hesitated and began to shake. Hermione lowered her wand stood up and began to walk off. Bellatrix ran after her.

"Why did you hesitate?"

"Because I am not you. Why did you dance with me? Why are you toying with me?"

"You are a mudblood. I need to hate you, destroy you. Toujours Pur. It is who I was raised to be."

"We define who we are by our actions and our choices."

"I know what I am supposed to be and yet all I do is think about you! You challenge me, fight me, and mystify me. You will be my undoing."

She pulled Hermione in and kissed her. Hermione found herself returning the kiss letting her lips feverishly explore Bella's. She tasted of champagne and honey. She opened her mouth and surrendered to Bella's tongue.

"I think we are going to be each other's undoing Bella."

They healed their wounds and Hermione let her suitor walk her back to the party. She was in way over her head.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

All that was left was taking on the Dark Lord. They needed to find the perfect time to strike.

"How are we supposed to take on the Dark Lord?" Narcissa sighed.

"I have a plan for that but first we need to get him alone. We need more information on him." Hermione said. They were in the back corner of the library. Curfew was an hour before and they finally had some privacy.

"He is up to something. Severus has been distracted lately. He has been helping Abraxas try and brew something. He spends most of his time researching and won't let me know what it is."

"You aren't going to use your feminine wiles to get them?" Bellatrix joked.

"No. I don't want my relationship with him to be based on a lie. He is truly wonderful."

"Luna, everything about us here is based on a lie. We are people who don't exist." Hermione chided.

"Only your names, you are still the people you were, aren't you?" Molly asked.

"Yes. I guess we are. Ok I will try and find out what Prof…..Severus is up to without involving you Luna. I know you have adored him for years, I won't take that away from you." Hermione conceded.

"Or I can just tell you if you tell me what the bloody hell is going on here!" The five girls turned to Severus Snape walk out of the restricted section with a copy of Moste Potent Dark Potions in hand.

Hermione made a note to herself to start using Homenum Revelio before having sensitive conversations. She managed to evade snatchers and Death Eaters but she couldn't pull off a simple conversation without someone catching on or overhearing.

"Oh boy. Luna I am leaving this to you."

"Of course. You know Hermione we really are horrible at clandestine acts."

"Apparently."

Luna dragged Severus off to the other side of the library to talk. After thirty minutes he didn't know whether to furious or touched. The girl had been harboring a crush on his adult self for years and he was really enjoying the time he spent with her.

What had started as a ploy to make Lily jealous had turned into something else. A way to make him happy and he really was for the first time in his life. He didn't have to be anything for her, change anything for her, she adored him as he was.

"So you are Xeno's daughter?"

"Yes Severus."

"And my student?"

"Yes."

"And you have come back to change the timeline? What am I in your current timeline?"

"You were a sad man with the weight of the world on his shoulders…now you are dead."

"Who?"

"The Dark Lord. Actually his pet snake but he gave the order. You had something he wanted…or so he thought."

"And the Headmaster?"

"He knows, as do Minerva McGonigall and Filius Flitwick. They think we are trying to preserve the timeline and I believe Dumbledore may be plotting to make his own changes."

"OK I'm in."

He pulled her in and kissed her. He had loved Lily, still did in a way, but Diana..or Luna was different. He was a teenage boy and she was his first girlfriend. Like any boy in love, he was ready to battle the world for her. He was definitely beyond smitten.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"So explain to me why we are working with all Slytherins and not telling any of my friends, who are also apparently your friends." Molly was sitting in Hermione's bed whispering again.

"The Marauders I know are different people. War changes us. All of you experienced great loss after the first war. It was what molded you into who you are. They couldn't handle what we are doing right now. You are…well were…a matriarch to all of us. That part of your personality still exists now…the others are still children."

"So what happens to you once this is over?"

"I don't know. Part of me wants to go back to my friends and family…but now…"

"A certain brunette bad girl is making you hesitate."

"Yes."

An owl tapped on the window.

_Come to the whomping willow - B_

"What does it say?"

Hermione looked out at the grounds and then up to the sky. She grimaced.

"It says Bellatrix wants to meet me."

"Are you going?"

"Not alone." Hermione pushed Luna awake. "Get dressed, we are taking a walk."

They had changed history, not just the course of events in the far future but also in their current time as well. Hermione filed Luna in on her fears as they walked. Harry had shared Snape's memories with her and Ron after the battle. She hoped she was wrong but she couldn't take a chance.

They arrived at the Whomping Willow and Snape was with Bellatrix walking through the entrance. Hermione ran and caught up.

"Wands out!"

"Granger, what the hell is going on? We both got owls from you two saying to meet you here."

"They weren't from me. It's a trap…one that was originally laid for you alone. We need to get back to the castle."

Her tone made it clear that this was not a joke. The backed out of the passage but it was too late. She heard the growl. Severus' focus shifted elsewhere. She glanced over her shoulder and saw James Potter running at them.

"Forget about Potter, focus on Remus."

"What?" Bellatrix was about to demand an explanation when the werewolf jumped out of the passage from the tree.

"Severus…make a note to yourself." Luna whispered.

"What's that?"

"Invent the Wolfsbane potion or get Damocles to teach it to you after he does."

He looked bewildered. Remus was powerful but he wasn't a match for the four of them despite Sirius' intent. If they had walked blindly into the Shrieking Shack passage it would have been a different story. Remus took a bit of a beating but was quickly bound. Hermione levitated him back down the passage. No one had spoken a word to James yet. Hermione started.

"You lot have some real issues Potter. Tell me why I shouldn't call the Aurors on all four of you?" It was a bluff of course. Any serious investigation would be harmful to everyone involved.

"It was just a joke."

"It's attempted murder Potter. Is that what makes you the good guys? Setting up your best friend to murder people you don't like. If you can't get our deaths through your head try this: What did you think they were going to do to Remus after he tore apart several students including a member of the Noble House of Black? Detention with Filch?"

He swallowed hard, "I know. Sirius went too far. How did you know about us? That it was a trap."

Hermione had become a proficient liar in her many years running about with Harry and Ron.

"I discovered the passage earlier this year. I figured out what the howls from the shack were and saw you lot going for a visit. Bella would have used her Head Girl privileges to meet somewhere warm and it was a full moon."

Hermione put Remus in the shack. Put a timing spell on her incarcerous and locked the shack back up. The five of them walked back to the castle.

"I am sorry."

"But you don't mean it Potter. One day you will have a child. Do you want him to respect you for the man you are or see a childish bully?"

"Whatever Helena. I tried to say I am sorry, get over it." He stormed off.

"So now that he is gone are you lot going to tell us how you really knew?" Bellatrix had pulled Hermione close to fight off the cold. Hermione turned and saw Luna holding Snape's hand.

"Potter's son will be my friend. He shared the memory with me. The first time you were alone Severus and James saved you before Remus got to you. His son was embarrassed by it and lit Sirius up even though it was decades later."

Severus walked Luna back to Gryffindor but Bellatrix pulled Hermione off to the dungeons. They took a few turns and ended up at a tapestry.

"Cunning, ambition, purity." The entrance opened.

"Lovely" Hermione commented.

The room was decorated in green and silver. It was a good sized space and also housed bookshelves and a desk to study. The Heads got their own rooms unlike the other students.

"Bella…I…." Bellatrix saw Hermione's fear.

"Hermione, I just want to spend time with you. We don't have to do anything you don't want. I won't rush you."

"It's….when this is over what happens?"

"You are a muggleborn and I am the pureblood princess but some things are meant to be. We will find a way."

Hermione pulled off her wool cloak and the two began to kiss. The stood in the center of the room, locked in an embrace, dancing to music only they heard. Hermione didn't know when they had laid down but Bella was on top of her kissing her and letting her hands explore her body. She pulled the sleeve of Hermione's shirt down before Hermione could stop her. She gasped at the scar.

"Who did this? How?"

Bellatrix ran her hand along the mudblood carved into Hermione's arm.

"Bella…don't. It doesn't matter."

"Of course it matters, whoever did this needs to pay."

"Bella….I can't talk about this. I need t go…I just need to…."

Hermione grabbed her cloak and ran back to her rooms. Some things couldn't be escaped.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::

"Bella why am I down here at 3:00 am? I could be asleep."

"The girl….she was here, we were kissing. I….her arm…it was carved. She wouldn't tell me who did it. She freaked out and ran away. What happened to her Cissy? What else is she covering up?"

"Are you sure you want this knowledge?" Narcissa grabbed Bella's hand.

"Yes."

"She has a scar on her chest from a curse Dolohov hit her with."

"How did you see that? Have you two.." Narcissa put a hand up to silence her very jealous sister. Tact wouldn't work with Bella.

"I saw it the other night in the bathroom but the first time I saw it was when you ripped apart her shirt. You laughed at it. You were at the battle she got it in. You were pulling off her shirt because she wouldn't break under your cruciatus. You are the one who tortured her; you are the one who engraved mudblood into her arm. The question isn't why she is afraid of you, the question is how she could fall for you?"

"Me."

"Yes Bella, in the world I left you spent your life either being tortured or torturing someone else. There was no peace for you in that life, no love, only pain. You were a monster tormented by monsters. Draco and Lucius make it through the war. I could have moved on. I came back to save you."

"What about Andy? You won't talk about her, you won't talk to her."

"I am changing my view on that…it's complicated. Love is a strange thing Bella, if the Granger girl can find a way to love you, don't push her away."

"OK."

Narcissa curled up under the blankets and drifted off to sleep.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"Blackhall"

She kept walking, oblivious to her new name.

"Blackhall!"

She turned to see Remus behind her with Sirius, Peter and James in tow.

"What?"

"I just wanted to say…I am sorry Helena."

"You aren't the one who needs to apologize Remus." She shot a glare at Sirius.

"If you think I am apologizing you are wrong. It was a bloody joke."

"You are an idiot Sirius. Remus, I hope you find yourself better friends. You would have been in Azkaban if we hadn't corralled you."

He looked back at the other three and shrugged his shoulders. Hermione sighed and walked off. She had no idea how these idiots became the Order of the Phoenix.

She saw Lily walk by.

"You need to keep them under control Lily. Their jokes have gone from cruel to dangerous."

"What did they do?"

"Ask them yourself."

She watched as a rather irate redhead laid into the quartet. She could see they were all rather long faced at lunch that day. Hopefully something had sunk in.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"Stop and talk to me or I will give you detention."

"You can't give me detention for not letting you chat me up Bellatrix."

"I will find a reason. Please Hermione just talk to me."

"What?"

Bellatrix pulled her out of the corridor and into an empty room.

"I know. I know it was me. I am sorry. I can't change it but I am not that Bellatrix, I am not Bellatrix Lestrange."

"You will be."

"No, not if we win…not if we don't. I will die before I will hurt you."

Hermione looked into her eyes and saw it was the truth. Bellatrix softly ran her lips across Hermione's.

"Are we ok?"

"Yeah we are ok."

The two walked up to the Room of Requirement and waited for the others. Once they were all there they began to plan.

"I don't understand why this potion is important. The ritual takes place on the equinox and considering it is a rite that increases power the Dark Lord will have a full contingent with him."

"Not for this rite Severus." Luna said, "It is a rite of bloodline and must be done on the grave of the previous generation."

"And?" Severus didn't know that particular tidbit about Voldemort yet. Hermione couldn't resist dropping the bomb.

"And it is a patriarchal ritual. It has to be performed over his father's grave. I doubt he wants to bring his faithful followers to his muggle father's grave."

"Really?" He looked to Luna who nodded her confirmation.

"We will face him on the equinox. We have a month to get everything together."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"How are things going on the project Miss Granger?" Minerva inquired. They were sitting in Dumbledore's office.

"Well. The others have not caught on and Narcissa is no longer after the Potters. She is biding her time to move"

"But you are developing friendships with them?" Dumbledore asked. The glint in his eyes made the question clear.

"Yes Headmaster. I didn't expect…neither of us did."

"You do realize all three of you will have to go back soon. If you leave abruptly it will draw too much attention. When this school year ends you must return to your time. You cannot continue these relationships. They have their destiny and you have yours. What happened at the Whomping Willow?"

"I believe you know what happened sir. We were set up by Sirius."

"And you used your knowledge to stop it. The timeline…."

"With all due respect sir, the timeline would have been altered if we were all torn to shreds. I noticed you didn't punish any of them. That was attempted murder. Do you think so much of Sirius or so little of Severus?"

"Under the circumstances it is best if the incident stays unmentioned. When can you have the completed formula to me?"

"I will have the formula completed and fine tuned as well as a false version complete within the next month. At that point we can pass it to Narcissa. It is hard to come up with a variation that won't work but will pass all tests that make it appear too."

"Well hopefully we can finish this business soon."

"I believe it will be Sir." Luna had been quiet up until then. The professors assumed the witch was just shy. Hermione knew better. They left the Headmaster's office and headed to Bella's room to meet the others.

They hadn't revealed all of their gifts to the others including Luna's skills at legilimency so they stopped before they got there.

"Did you pick anything up?"

"Yes. The Headmaster is going to try and use the formulas for his own gain. He was also trying to pry information on future events from us."

"I could feel that."

"I am surprised."

"I am not. Remember what I told you about his confession to Harry. This is the man who ran with Gellert Gindelwald and chased the Hallows possessing and using all three at some point in his life."

"Good point. It is a fortunate thing he stays at Hogwarts."

They walked into the room and Molly was at the desk fighting over something with Narcissa, Snape was on the floor near the fire reading and Bellatrix was stretched on her bed. Hermione curled up next to Bellatrix letting her head rest on the witch's stomach.

If they had to leave then she would relish every day. Luna clearly felt the same way as she snuggled with Severus.

"Ok what happened?" Molly put her hands on her hips and Hermione was suddenly brought back to the Burrow. With Molly's tone and demeanor she was tempted to look for Fred and George who usually brought that out of her.

"What do you mean?"

"You two aren't this publically cozy. What happened?"

"He wants to send us back at the end of the year." Luna sighed.

"What do we do?" Severus asked.

"I don't know. We aren't supposed to be here. At least Narcissa is in her own body. We are completely out of our timeline. I can't…I won't lose you." She turned to Bella.

"Then we stop it from happening."

"First let's deal with the Dark Lord."

The others left and Hermione was left with Bellatrix. She wanted to know this witch before this journey reached its end.

"I have scars." Hermione said pulling at her buttons.

"Then I will kiss them. I am in love with you Hermione Granger. That will be forever."

She was pulled into the bed and the two made love well into the night. They both knew their time together could end any day. They relished each other exchanging promises of love. Bellatrix looked into the fire as Hermione dozed off and realized there would never be another.

...

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	8. Chapter 8

A/N This is the last chapter. I want to thank the Faves, follows and of course nothing but love for the reviewerfeedback feedback is huge and a few kind words from a review not only keep me coming back to the computer but also make my day a whole lot better.

All hail my king and beta: Asher Henry. She keeps me typing and keeps me sane (well awe sane as any one can keep me :). )

Fluff warning. I didn't actually have anyone sing cumbaya but...definitely a little fluff.

Second Chance

Chapter 7

Hermione woke in a tangle of limbs. It took her a few moments to realize where she was and who she was tangled up with. She smiled and pulled Bellatrix closer. The night before had been amazing and she knewwitch lost her heart to her.

Bellatrix woke and stretched out. Hermione marveled at the cat like grace of the witch. Bella stole a quick kiss.

"What time is it?"

"Six. I need to go. I don't want to have to explain why I am in your rooms."

"Late night study session? I certainly learned a few things."

Hermione fought the urge to stay and rolled out of bed. She hopped into the shower and was soon joined by Bella.

"I am not getting out of here for breakfast am I?"

"It's Saturday. No one will notice. I will make sure to get you out in time for lunch."

"Hmmmmm. Have I told you I adore you?"

"Keep saying it. I like to hear it."

Bellatrix closed the curtain and ended any chance of an escape for Hermione.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

The next few weeks were filled with planning and passion as Hermione dedicated herself to learning every inch of Bellatrix Black inside and out. She was falling hard for the witch who had once been her captor and tormentor. Bellatrix Lestrange was insane and cruel. Bellatrix Black was studious, clever and loving.

Luna was having the same problem Hermione was. They were falling in love with two people from another time and another reality. They knew they couldn't stay but they no longer wanted to leave. Hermione had become close to Molly and Severus and even had a developed a friendship with Narcissa. They couldn't leave.

The day of the Solstice came and Severus confirmed that Voldemort had the potion for his ritual. They were sitting around doing their final planning.

"So it will be the six of us against him. It hardly seems sporting" Molly said packing the healing potions from Luna into a bag.

"Sporting Molly? Even six to one we are at a disadvantage" Severus sighed. "Plus one of us will have to kill him."

"Leave that to me. I already have taken a life. There is no reason any of you should taint your souls."

Everyone including Luna looked at her, surprised by the confession.

"Walden Macnair and Thorafinn Rowle. It was during the final battle." Hermione was looking at her feet. In a room full of future murderers she was the only one with blood on her hands.

"We did what we had to do Hermione." Luna offered. Bellatrix moved closer to her and took her hand.

"Even with our help Hermione..."

"Yeah I have a plan."

"Is that why you had us meet here instead of the Room of Requirement?" Snape asked. After all of the secrecy she was making it very clear they were plotting today.

"Yes he needed to see us."

"Who?"

"All of you go down with the others getting ready for Hogsmeade. We will meet at the shack in two hours."

A head popped up from the stairway and McGonagall made her way onto the astronomy tower.

"Ms. Black and both Blackhalls please come with me the rest of you que up with the other students."

They followed their professor to the Headmaster's office. They lagged a little and the two women flanking Hermione looked at her questioningly.

"When you get the signal take out McGonagall and Flitwick" Hermione whispered.

"What signal?" Narcissa hissed.

"You'll know."

Their conversation was abruptly ended as they reached the gargoyle to Dumbledore's office.

They were shown in and the three took seats. Hermione was pleasantly surprised to see that Flitwick wasn't there. Their odds were better.

"So ladies would you like to tell me what you are up to?" the Headmaster inquired.

"Of course sir. We have made a breakthrough on the formula. Instead of the original equations I used we have expanded it and it can now create a virtually impregnable ward. I know Severus wasn't to be added but his involvement has been key. Can I show you our plans?"

Her complete enthusiasm for the project and the lure of an impenetrable ward were enough to drop the two professors' guards and they were sucked into the story.

Hermione pulled out her book bag and dumped its contents out on to a small table in his office. There were several text books, their formulas and notes, quills and ink and several Cadbury Crunchie bars.

"Sorry sir we skipped breakfast. I picked a box up over the holiday. Would you mind terribly if I have one?"

"Not at all Miss Granger. Let's see those new equations."

Hermione opened one of the candy bars and pulled out her notes. She took a few bites while Luna explained the new variations. Finally Luna grabbed one of the bars as well.

"I had never experienced muggle candy before Hermione but I have come to enjoy it." Luna smiled as she bit into the bar. She had made sure to pick the one with the tear in the wrapper just like Hermione's

Hermione in an act of politeness offered the others bars as well. They declined. They spent the next thirty minutes going through the variations.

Dumbledore was known for many things and his sweet tooth was legendary. He eventually took her offer of one of the bars. He was surprised at how delightful it was. Five minutes later he collapsed. Hermione had laced all of the bars but two with a sleeping draught.

Narcissa and Luna bound Minerva with an incarcerous and took her wand. Hermione grabbed Dumbledore's wand and cast a silencing spell on her.

"It works."

Narcissa looked worried, "You said nothing about taking the wand."

"I am only borrowing it. Professor, tell him that when he wakes up. Tell him I am borrowing it and I do not intend to keep it. Lend him yours. A good stunner should revert the wand back to him. I am truly sorry about this. Stupify."

She looked at the other two women. "We have maybe twenty minutes before she comes to and another five before she gets out of those bonds. Let's go."

They ran off meeting the others at the shrieking shack. Hermione guided them to the woods.

"Granger, where are we going?" Narcissa was confused.

"You and Severus still have the trace on you. You are only fifth years. Apparition is out."

"Oh bloody hell." Narcissa paled.

"What?" Bellatrix didn't like her sister's color.

"Their fifth year they went to the Ministry. They fought Him and well you and the others. They couldn't floo or apparate."

"So they took brooms?" Severus wasn't worried he was good on a broom.

They stopped in a clearing.

"What are we looking at?" Molly asked. The three were confused.

"It is wonderful you can't see them." Luna responded.

"They took thestrals to the Ministry and we are taking them now." Narcissa sighed and then explained the animals to the others.

Hermione hated flying but since Bella couldn't see their steed she had no choice but to ride in front. Severus rode with Luna and Molly with Narcissa.

They reached the grave yard. It was empty. They had time to kill.

"Narcissa and Severus, remember don't use your wands unless you have too. Once you do they will be able to find us. Luna please tell me you and Severus perfected that potion."

"We won't know until it's time but I think we got it" she replied.

"Do you really think we need it?" Snape asked.

"Only if we live" Luna passed out the vials and they all drank the contents down. The two had been working on the potion for weeks. If it worked it would be brilliant.

They hid in the shrubbery around the site. A few hours later Voldemort arrived. Hermione was right. He was alone. Only in the movies did it make sense to duel someone. In real life the trick was winning. The six started throwing hexes from the bushes.

Voldemort was fast and powerful and was blocking almost everything coming at him. Hermione has gotten through partially with sectumsempra slicing his arm and torso on his right side. The wand was strong. She could see why it was so sought after.

"I just made that up...I haven't even gotten it down yet! How did you...oh right never mind." Severus called out. He was happy his spell was so effective.

Voldemort hadn't had the sense to apparate yet but it was only a matter of time. Luna and Narcissa flanked him and he spun blocking each of the spells Luna shot but he was unprepared for Hermione's avada.

Voldemort fell to the ground. Hermione heard the cracks and looked over her shoulder to see Dumbledore, McGonagall and Flitwick. Hermione relaxed her body and let the stunner hit her.

When she came to they were back at Hogwarts sitting in the Headmaster's office.

"Welcome back Miss Granger. You have irreparably changed the timeline. What am I to do?"

"Nothing sir. Whatever happens it can't be as bad as what was. He is dead. You have your wand back and I will give you the ward information although I might have exaggerated a bit on the impregnable part. The students of this school will live their lives never knowing the monsters and martyrs they were to become."

"A win-win so to speak?"

"Yes Headmaster."

"Very well, but you three are leaving. I don't care about the mystery behind the sudden disappearance of the Blackhalls; I am not leaving you to your plotting. Let's go."

He escorted them to the trophy room with Hermione pleading along the way. They had tears in their eyes as their professors walked them to the trophy.

"You don't belong here, you know that. I will give you a minute to say goodbye."

Hermione was crying. She hugged Molly goodbye and walked over to her love. She kissed Bella, "baby I am so sorry."

"I will wait for you. I will be there when you come through."

"Bella...I love you."

"I love you too Hermione Granger."

She looked and saw Luna and Severus make similar promises.

Narcissa hugged her sister goodbye, "Bella protect Andy from me until I come back."

Dumbledore began the spell and the trophy began to glow. Hermione looked across at her lover. As everything was about to spin away Dumbledore pulled out his wand.

"I am sorry...obliviate!"

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Hermione and Luna were thrust back into their bodies collapsing to the floor. They were in the library. Everyone started laughing at them. Hermione saw that she and Luna were sitting separate from the others. The library was intact and the student body seemed unharmed.

"Loony and the swot at it again."

Hermione saw it was Ron saying and Harry high fiving him.

"Honestly Harry. Do you have to be so supportive of him when he is like that?"

"What are you playing at Granger. He is my best mate; you gave me detention for two weeks for a stupid prank. Of course I do."

Hermione realized then what was going on. Harry's eyes were brown and there was no mark from a scar. She looked around the library and saw several students she didn't recognize. She pulled Luna away. As they walked through the halls they talked.

"Could you imagine how confused I would be right now if that anti-obliviate potion hadn't worked? I would have come back to my best friends digging at me and not knowing why. What was Dumbledore thinking?"

"That you would still be friends."

"I never told him about the troll. He wouldn't know they didn't like me until then."

"Let's see if Severus is here."

They headed down to the Potion's Master's office.

"Miss Granger, Miss Lovegood why are you infringing on my Saturday?"

"Severus?" Luna whispered.

His whole demeanor changed. "You're back?"

He shut the door and pulled her into his arms.

"I am an old man now Luna."

"No you're not and I first fell for you at this age."

The two began to kiss. A few minutes for Luna had been a lifetime for him.

"I waited." he pulled her into a tight embrace.

Hermione cleared her throat. He smiled.

"I am not the only one." A patronus shot out of his wand in the form of a rabbit. Hermione smiled when she saw the rabbit instead of a doe. A few seconds later it returned.

"What has happened?"

"Sit down and wait for the others."

Bellatrix came running in five minutes later. Her eyes were filled with tears. Gone was the twisted woman that Azkaban produced. Hermione pulled up her sleeve. Her arm was free of scars.

"Bella?"

"Professor Black now. I flooed Cissy and Molly. They are coming over now. We do have some time to kill."

"You waited for me? It was years." Hermione was shocked.

"I would never find another like you. We were destined for each other." Bellatrix pulled Hermione in for a kiss. The two couples ended up snogging a bit while waiting for Narcissa. Twenty minutes later Narcissa Malfoy walked in.

"Get a room!" Narcissa yelped.

"We will after we get you caught up." Severus sneered.

"So what happened? I seem to have two children now."

"Yes Cissy. Draco is a seventh year and Druella is a fifth year. There was no Dark Lord. You have done well for yourselves and Lucius is a member of the Wizengamot."

"He also partnered with Bellatrix and myself on a successful spell and apothecary business. As you realize, the potion worked. Between that and seeing Sectumsempra work so well I was inspired. Lucius backed us." Gone was the dour Potion's Master. The man sitting in front of them was happy and successful.

"Then why are you here?" Narcissa asked, "the pay is horrible and the lodging dreadful."

"We were waiting for them. We didn't know when they would come back. Dumbledore quickly realized his spell didn't work. We made him a deal. He kept your wards and we didn't snitch about the elder wand or anything he covered up during our time at Hogwarts including the incident with Remus. In exchange we got to come back and wait for you when it was time. We have only been here during the last seven years."

"I teach DADA and Severus as you guessed, teaches potions."

"Were we recognized? The others? The world?"

"Albus used a persuasion spell to convince you two to go with the story that you are both related to the Blackhalls. You are cousins of Helena and Diana Blackhall. As much as I hate to admit it, he was right. With the glamours off anyone who made the connection just assumed you were related hence the family resemblance. Especially with that hair Granger.

"HEY!" She couldn't really argue the point. Her hair was an uncontrollable mane and in this timeline she apparently hadn't discovered sleekeazy potion. If she wasn't friends with Harry and Ron she must not be friendly with the Patil twins.

"If I may continue now that we are done worrying about your hair. Molly married Arthur and had a gaggle of children. The Marauders lived to mostly have equally reprehensible children."

"My children aren't reprehensible Severus!" Molly stated while hugging Hermione. She had finally gotten in.

"Ok the others aren't but Ron spends too much time with Potter" He quipped back.

"We saw." Hermione told them about the library "Lily didn't have as much influence on James as I thought she would."

"He didn't marry Lily. He married Alice Blythe." Molly said hugging Hermione again to make up for her foolish son. She knew her son was a bit of an idiot. She was hoping he would grow out of it and in the meantime he was keeping the howler business well funded. She was averaging one a week to him.

"Who?"

"She was a student here, she was dating Frank Longbottom but James wooed her away. Lily married Remus. I was best man at their wedding. He stopped spending time with the Marauders shortly after you left and pursued her instead. They have two kids. Eileen is an Auror now and Jacob is a sixth year in Ravenclaw." Severus smiled thinking about their kids. Lily had named her first child after his mother and made him the godfather. Jacob was a handful but not cruel like the Marauders.

"They know by the way. The saw you when they were dropping off Jacob for the train. You forgot to glamour your scents. Remus knew you weren't cousins. We made both he and Lily take a secrecy oath. They were upset about it all until we told them they were dead before you changed the time line. They have been big fans of yours since then."

She was happy to hear that. She had always been fond of Remus and she would get to truly know Lily. "What about Neville Longbottom?"

"Frank never had a child. He died in a raid on Walden Macnair's shop. Walden was peddling contraband and dark artifacts. He is Azkaban for Frank's murder." Molly sighed. "Frank was a good man."

"The world really has changed."

"Bella! Andy?" Narcissa exclaimed.

"She married Ted Tonks. You were determined to disown her along with our parents. I tried to stop you. You stopped talking to me as well. We have a tentative truce due to Lucius' involvement in the company but you were unhappy with my continued relations with her."

"Oh Bella. I am so sorry." Narcissa hugged her sister. "What are my children like? Are they…like I was?"

"Draco is still a prat but Dru developed quite the rebellious streak that seems to run through Black women." The comment earned Snape a playful swat from Narcissa, "She is also in Ravenclaw and dating Jacob to yours and Lucius great disappointment."

"I am going to have to make some changes on that and set things right with Andy."

"Lucius will not be please Cissy" Bella warned.

"He will deal with it. Both of my sisters are with muggles. I lost you once I won't lose you again."

"And I don't want any more trips."

They all turned to see McGonagall and Dumbledore in the door. Hermione sighed. She really had to invent a warning ward for these conversations.

"The school year is almost over. Your last N.E.W.T is tomorrow. You have received all Os so far. You will be graduating as the top two students of your year and among the top graduates of all time."

"Draco must really hate you two" Narcissa laughed.

"He does" Severus and Bellatrix chorused.

"You will keep your hands to yourselves while they are still students. Once they graduate I expect the entire lot of you to be on your way."

"Yes sir."

"And Miss Granger, very clever trick with my wand and the candy bar. Your knowledge of the Hallows lore is excellent."

"You taught me everything I know sir."

"And the stone?"

"I destroyed it with the ring."

He sighed, turned and left.

"I haven't forgotten about the stupify Hermione. You do owe me one." McGonagall's tone made it clear she intended to collect. She followed after the Headmaster.

"So that's it then. We saved the world and no one will ever know" Luna asked.

Hermione pulled Bella in for a kiss. "At least we got the fairy tale ending this time. I will happily give up the Golden Trio for my life with you Bellatrix Black."

"Granger."

"Huh?"

"I am just another scorch mark on the Black family tree. I want to become Granger."

"Are you proposing?"

"Yes, are you accepting?"

Hermione kissed her again cupping her face in her hands. She looked into her eyes and whispered.

"Yes."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Epilogue

"Rose just run at it." Hermione watched her daughter go through the wall and ran after her. It was Rose's first year at Hogwarts. Hermione had married Bellatrix only weeks after graduation causing quite the stir in the wizarding community. It was a small ceremony with only a few attendees.

Andromeda was surprised when Narcissa and Druella showed up. Lucius and Draco refused to attend but Narcissa had no intention of missing her sister's wedding. She made peace with her other sister and met her family.

The last time she saw Nymphadora Tonks she was laying dead on the floor of the Great Hall. This was her first time talking to her niece in two life times. She liked the clumsy witch within minutes of meeting her even if she did spill wine on her new shoes.

Lucius was very unhappy to find out that either he had to let Xeno's crazy child and the mudblood who regularly bested his son join the business or he was going to be forced out. He was even less happy when Narcissa told him that it wasn't the only place he should expect them. In the end he chose to appease his wife and best friend and made nice with Hermione and Luna.

Luna and Severus married a year and a half later but they beat Hermione and Bellatrix to the cradle. Their daughter Diana was born the next year. A year and a half later their son Lysander was born.

Hermione delivered Rose only a few days after Luna had Lysander and the two were thick as thieves. When they were eight Rose Lysander, and Scorpius managed to implode the Malfoy gazebo.

Draco finally stopped his feud with Hermione when his son Scorpius became sick with the Dragon Pox. It was the same illness that had killed Lucius' father and the family was scared. Gunhilda of Gorsemoor had developed a treatment but it wasn't always effective. In Abraxas Malfoy's case it did nothing and it wasn't helping Scorpius either.

Hermione's muggle background came into play and she realized the virus could have more than one variation. Hermione spend days without sleep trying to found a way to improve the potion to treat variations and mutations of the virus. Scorpius was not only better in hours, he didn't have any lasting affects.

They walked on to the platform for the Hogwarts Express. Molly came over and gave her a hug. She was seeing her grandchildren off. The rest of her family never understood her close friendship with the two strange girls they went to school with. It didn't matter.

Harry was a seeker for the Chudley Cannons and Ron was an Auror. The two still made faces if they saw Hermione around. Without the war, they hadn't grown up. Hermione later found out that some of the hard feelings came from James. He held her 'cousin Helena' responsible for breaking up the Marauders and costing him Lily Evans.

Hermione looked over at her wife and child. She kissed Rose goodbye and smiled as she watched the train leave. No Golden Trio, no heroes or villains. She still lost most of her friends but she only lost their friendship, she didn't have to bury them this time. She looked as Harry and Ginny and Ron and Lavender loaded their kids up on to the train. Bellatrix came up and took her hand. Her friends were alive and happy and so was she and that was enough.


End file.
